116 officers removed from ex-President Mahinda’s security detail?

Attorney-at-Law Manoj Gamage has claimed that the incumbent government has taken steps to significantly reduce the security detail of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.  

Speaking at a press briefing held at the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Policy Center today (11), Gamage revealed that the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of human resource management had notified the security division of the former President through an official letter yesterday (10).  

According to Gamage, a total of 116 security personnel from the former President’s security detail have reportedly been withdrawn, including officers with specialized experience in VIP security.  

He expressed concern over this decision, emphasizing that it could pose a significant security risk, given the presence of groups that still follow the ideology of the slain leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Gamage described the government’s actions as a serious matter, particularly considering Rajapaksa’s role in eradicating terrorism during his presidency.