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Polls violence: STF deployed in Mahiyangana
The Special Task Force (STF) yesterday moved into Mahiyangana following a request by the Commissioner of Elections after a series of election law violations were reported.
A senior police officer said the STF would be assisting the police in the area until the Uva provincial council elections were held on September 20.
The STF deployment came after Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya on Friday warned he would be forced to relocate the polling stations of the Mahiyangana area outside the electorate.
In one of the most serious incidents reported, Deputy Commissioner Chaminda Namal Thalangama, who was on special election duty in Mahiyangana, received death threats from a UPFA MP and his brother who is contesting the elections. The Deputy Commissioner in a complaint said he was threatened that he would be killed wherever he lived in Sri Lanka. This came after he intervened to stop an illegal vehicle procession led by UPFA MP Thenuka Vidanagamage and his brother Anura Vidanagamage.
Deputy Elections Commissioner M.M. Mohammed said that after this incident, the Commissioner had asked police to deploy the STF to ensure security in the area and for election officials. The MP and his brother surrendered to the police a day after the Mahiyangana Magistrate gave orders for their arrest. They were produced before Additional Magistrate Gamini Rambakenpura and released on surety bail. A third person identified as Gunawardena de Silva alias ‘Kasun Chutty’ who allegedly grabbed a video camera from the Deputy Elections commissioner was remanded till tomorrow.