Three cops interdicted over stolen guns

Three police officers who were on duty at the Laggala police station the day that 6 firearms were stolen have been interdicted, police spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said.

He said that the interdiction was temporary and done so that investigations into the incident would not be hampered. The Police Special Task Force (STF) and the Sri Lanka Army have launched a special investigation in search of the stolen firearms with the help of police dogs.

A T56 rifle and 5 revolvers were stolen from the police station at around 1.00am yesterday (14) by an individual who had opened the locked armory. However, no ammunition had been stolen by the suspect. Four police officers were on duty at the station at the time of the theft while a Reserve Police Constable (RPC) had been in charge of the armory key.  Acting Inspector General of Police S.M. Wickremesinghe had ordered the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to investigate the theft of firearms from the Laggala Police Station.

The CID had recorded statements from the 4 police officers in question until late last night. The cops were scheduled to be produced before the judicial medical officer yesterday for tests to determine whether they had been drunk on the night of the weapons theft, however it has been rescheduled for today due to the recording of statements.