POLICE Chief Jayantha Wickremaratne yesterday said that about 400 LTTE cadres taking refuge among civilians at welfare centres in the Vavuniya District had been taken into custody. The suspects had been identified following screening of internally displaced persons.
IGP told The Island that the suspects had revealed the identities of their contacts, some of them living in the South.
He said that 14 police stations would be established in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts. According to him a DIG would be appointed to run police operations in the newly liberated areas. Responding to our queries, he said that a mixture of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim law enforcement officers would be deployed in those areas.
Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said there were about 272,000 men, women and children at 26 welfare centres. Addressing post-cabinet press briefing last Thursday (June 4), he said that the government was in the process of conducting a survey at welfare centres.
The police chief said that among the recently detained persons could be hardcore LTTE cadres. (Courtesy: The Island)
