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Normality slowly returning to Noori Estate: Police
View(s):A senior police officer in the Deraniyagala police division said a portion of the lands encroached by outsiders had been returned to the Noori Estate management this week. He said of the nearly 250 acres of land encroached, around 50 to 70 acres belonging to the estate had been voluntarily vacated by the encroachers.
A survey is yet to be conducted to confirm the exact acreage of land vacated. “Some of the people who encroached estate lands, having heard the company was planning to take legal action against them have moved out. Normality has returned to the village and the people are now engaging in normal day-to-day activities”, an officer in charge of the security in the area told the Sunday Times.
An employee of the estate who spoke to the Sunday Times on the condition of anonymity also confirmed that some of the land had been reclaimed.
“The lands have been cleared and most unauthorised persons ejected, but a survey has not been conducted as yet. Therefore we are unable to comment on the exact extent of land reclaimed. Malpractices such as production of illicit liquor and sale of marijuana has also ceased. So the people’s fears have abated and as such they feel more free”, the employee said.
However, a degree of the fear psychosis and uncertainty among the people at Noori Estate remains. Villagers fear possible retribution by suspects involved in the killing of the Noori Estate superintendent, if and when they are released on bail. The villagers have lost confidence in the police and depend on Special Task Force (STF) personnel deployed in the area to maintain law and order. They fear that violence and terror will return if the STF leaves.
At the hearing into the murder of the late Mr. Nihal Pererea, superintendent of Noori Estate which was held in camera by the Awissawella Magistrate, the 21 suspects arrested in connection with the murder –including former Deraniyagala PS Chairman Anil Champika Wijesinghe alias Atha Kota– were re-remanded until 2nd September 2013.
According to police spokesperson SP Buddika Siriwardana, 15 more suspects have been arrested in connection with separate incidents such as unlawful entry, assault and similar incidents, which had been reported to the police in the past, but not investigated. SP Siriwardana added a police post had been set up at Noori Estate. “Officers patrol the area and investigate into minor complaints” he said.
Police have also come under severe criticism from villagers for succumbing to political patronage and for inaction in establishing law and order when atrocities were perpetrated by the former Deraniyagala PS Chairman Wijesinghe and his group.
The police spokesperson said the report on the investigation into accusations of police inaction would be presented to the Inspector General of the Police. “The report will be presented very soon, and action will be taken against those officers who have been faulted”, he said.
At several meetings between the police and villagers, a leading political figure in the province, namely Chief Minister of the Sabaragamuwa Province –Maheepala Herath– has come in for severe criticism for his intervention in preventing the police from taking action against those who were involved in perpetrating atrocities on the people.
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