In the wake of the controversy surrounding the recent torching of an election stage of Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena in Wanduramba, the officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Wanduramba Police Station Inspector Panangala Liyanage Keerthisinghe today resigned from his position.

Speaking to reporters at his residence in Wanduramba this evening, the Inspector of Police stated that a situation has risen today where a police officer can no longer work with their spine straight and that therefore he took off his uniform and came home today. 

P.L. Keerthisinghe stated that he resigned from the service thinking about the respect of the police department. When asked about the reason for his sudden decision, the OIC stated that what happened to him was similar to “being told to file a case against the knife used by a thief to steal a bunch of bananas.”

However, he stated that the decision taken by him today would be an example for other officers in the police department. 

It has proven to be difficult for the police to carry out its duty today due to all politicians even the local politician, he said.

Keerthisinghe expressed that he has great affection for the police department and that as an officers who has served in the force for 18 years, his decision was taken with deep regret.

The Wanduramba OIC stated that he hopes that the future of the police department would be successful through his example. 

The election stage and some decorations of Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena were set on fire by a group of individuals, who had arrived in two Defenders, in the Wanduramba area in Galle on December 17.

Three supporters of Deputy Minister Nishantha Muthuhettigama were later arrested over the incident and remanded until December 29. The suspects Janaka Duminda, K.G. Janaka Kumara and S.A. Dimuthu Pradeep were produced before Baddegama Magistrate Courts.