From now on, people in police custody will not be allowed to die. The Ministry of Public Security and the government will promptly investigate and bring all those involved in the Welikada Police incident to justice, says Minister of Mass Media and Health Dr. Nalin de Jayatissa.

The Criminal Investigation Department has initiated an investigation into the Welikada Police incident. The work of the OIC, a sergeant, and a constable has been suspended. We want to prevent such incidents from happening in the police. Such incidents cannot happen again for any reason. The Minister pointed out that there is no point in calling for other reasons.

Minister Nalin de Jayatissa made this point while responding to a question raised by a Lanka Sky News journalist during a media briefing held at the Government Information Department in Polhengoda, Kirulapone to announce cabinet decisions.

The question raised by the Sky News journalist 

So far, 30 shootings have been reported. 29 people have been killed. The number of deaths in police custody has increased to eight together with the Welikada incident.

Based on a conversation that took place at a party in the Mathugama area, the police have assaulted a young man and tried to take him away. The public in the area has stopped the police taking this young man and later he was hospitalized due to the police beating. Later the police had gone to the hospital in civilian clothes and kidnaped this young man from the hospital. The police and the underworld have started killing the public in competition. 

The police has brutally tortured the young man who allegedly raped the female doctor in Anuradhapura, but no legal action has been taken against those officers. Why does the government not see this development as a dangerous situation?

He further commented:

It is a serious matter for a person to die while in police custody. I do not justify deaths in police custody. Given the history of the police, people have become accustomed to seeing these with doubts, so the police have a great responsibility to reveal the truth about such incidents to the public.

Question –

The press release issued regarding the Welikada incident says that this young man struck his body parts on the walls of the police cell.

Does this mean that this young man picked up his own body parts and struck them on the wall? Press releases are issued without considering the seriousness of the incident. There is no responsibility for the loss of a young life. We well know from the history of the police how victims body parts were hung inside the police. You, I and the society know from experience. That is the weight that the press release should bear. Should it be impartial?

Answer –

If there is distrust among the people about the police and the image of the police is damaged, then law and order cannot be maintained.  Therefore, if few persons within the police force of eighty-five thousand are involved in such illegal incidents, it is the responsibility of the current IGP and his team to enforce the law against them and protect the credibility of the police.

As a government, we must say that we are firm. A trustworthy police force is needed to implement law and order. We will not provide political protection to any criminal.

Question – You say that these are not considered as common incidents. But the statement sent by the police regarding the shooting that took place yesterday says that this is an isolated incident. What do you mean by an isolated and common incident?

Answer –

None of these shootings are considered ordinary shootings. After our government came to power, from the very first shooting incident and killing we said we are taking this seriously.

Some incidents are part of a criminal network. The progress of the investigations into the incidents has not been reported. 

Seeduwa shooter is found some time after the person was shot. The shooter has not been caught yet. Police investigations are definitely underway. Two people are in police custody in connection with the Devundara shooting. Not a single shooting will be allowed to slip away easily. We have also arrested some police and prison security personnel involved in these shootings. We have obtained detention orders and conducted investigations to find out if these incidents are part of a criminal network. We, as a government, want these incidents to stop. We will report later whether these incidents are organized and conspiratorial or isolated incidents.

Question : Are you not reporting on them because it will hinder the investigations?

Answer : None of these incidents are considered ordinary incidents. We answered you that way because the opposition is trying to create a big fuss based on these shootings, saying that national security is at stake. The police and intelligence agencies are also working hard to identify this network. Not only here, investigations have also been initiated against those who are leading it from abroad. An urgent process is being launched to bring them back to Sri Lanka. 
Several people have already been brought back from India. A diplomatic process is also underway to bring back several others who have fled the country.

Questions – Is it true that Minister Nalin Hewage stated that when the National People’s Power government came to power, there were only 20 million dollars in foreign reserves? Minister Nalin Hewage says that there are currently 6190 million dollars in foreign reserves.
He swore that when he took over the country, there were 20 million dollars and now there are 6190 million dollars. Are these statistics presented true?

Answers – I will tell you the amount of foreign reserves held by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. In September 2024, it was $6.99 million, in October it was $6.47 million, in November it was $6.45 million, in December it was $6.12 million, in January it was $6.08 million, and by March 2025 it was $6.51 million. If there is a mistake, then these figures should be accepted.