Police deploys thousands of officers on election eve

Sri Lanka deployed thousands of police Sunday (Aug 16) in stepped up security on the eve of a general election after the campaign was hit by sporadic violence that claimed four lives.

Police Inspector General N.K. Illangakoon said 63,000 officers were fanning out across the country to guard polling booths and counting centres for Monday’s election, while para-military commandos were on alert in case of trouble.

“We have taken additional measures to ensure that the election is conducted peacefully and there are no incidents in the post-election period too,” Illangakoon said in a statement.

Two party workers were killed and a dozen others wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire at a rally in the capital Colombo two weeks ago.

Illangakoon said several arrests have been made. Another two people were killed in two separate shooting incidents elsewhere during the month-long campaign. Despite the deaths, private election monitors said there had been fewer incidents of violence compared to previous elections over the past two decades.

Some 15 million people are eligible to vote when polls open at 7am, and results are expected by late Tuesday.

Source: AFP