Cops team up with thugs to harass residents

Residents ousted by thugs in Nawala with the alleged assistance of the Narahenpita police have raised questions as to whether the police is also directly helping these elements in the increasing crime rate in the country.

On June 22, when Ranasingharachchige Sumithra returned home from work around 4.30 pm, she found the padlock on her door broken and the furniture in her house on the road.

According to the residents in the adjoining houses, SI Jayasekera of the Narahenpita police and five to six police officers had arrived at 135 Nawala Road around 3 pm. Along with the police officers two women claiming to be officials from the courts and around 25 to 30 thugs had also come to the spot. "The thugs were armed with iron rods, poles and sticks. But since SI Jayasekera told us they had a court order to measure the area, we gave them permission" the residents said.

However having measured the area a police officer bearing number 27473 broke the lock of Sumithra's house. The thugs then forcibly pulled out all the furniture. The police officers who accompanied SI Jayasekera were identified by the residents by their numbers  24676, 760, R29860, 29660 and 18325.

The residents of No.135 claim that despite their request for identification from the two women claiming to be officials representing the court, they got none. "We told these officials we have been living here for many years. We also told them this land legally belongs to the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) and we have the documentation to prove it" the residents said.

However ignoring the explanations of the residents the police officers and the thugs threw all the furniture on to the main road. "We then called the CMC and complained to the officials there. The municipality officials told us we have nothing to worry about as the court order was given to break down the house bearing No. 139 on Nawala Road" the residents said.     

According to the residents of No.135, on previous occasions a different set of thugs had come to break their house. "When we showed these people legal documents given to us by the CMC they went away" they said.

The residents claimed that all these problems started after a businessman bought the adjoining land. According to the residents the businessman who runs a garage had paid the residents and got them to move to a new location. "However he forcibly tried to remove us from our legal home with the help of the local thugs and police" Sumithra said.  

A police entry CIB II 20/545 was then lodged by the residents at the Narahenpita police station. While a solution is yet to be found to this  problem all attempts by The Sunday Leader to contact SI Jayasekera failed upto the time this edition went to press.