Borella OIC Dies After Hanwella Violence -Updates

    "Are you going to cry if I die?"  
   He asked me that day before going to work
                         -- says sister of IP Prasad

"After getting ready to go for duty, malli came down and after giving me a hug, said 'Podi akke ...

today I am going for a big duty ... if by some chance I die ... are you going to cry for me, akke?' I never thought that a thing like this would happen". This was the tearful story of the sister of Mr. Prasad Siriwardena, CI and OIC of Borella Police who was in attendance to control a protest which took place in Hanwella area.

Mr. Siriwardena who was the father of a 11 year old daughter and 12 year old son lived with them in his sister's house and he had legally separated from his wife who was an Attorney-at-Law.

Prasad who was living in Mrs. Nirosha's house in Gonawela, Kelaniya had bade them goodbye in a heart-rending manner before he left for work. Not being able to bear her brother's demise because of such a parting, she spoke in this manner with tears in her eyes:
                                                     "I consoled malli. He was really heartbroken in the recent past. A certain newspaper had slung mud at malli .... and he was very hurt about it. I told malli not to take it to heart. Then he said, 'yes akke .... even for people higher than I such things have been told. Even my higher ups told me not to take notice of those things', So saying he went to work. Even from small days malli didn't like misdeeds and injustice. He was a person who worked to the letter where law was concerned It was to duty that he gave first place and if a poor person happened to ask something, he would even remove the shirt he was wearing and give him. I can't bear malli's death".

Mrs. Palini Perera who was a very close friend of his shared her ideas with us about his untimely death:
                                                                                                                             "Prasad is a kind-hearted person ... a person who did not take a decision in a hurry. He had told me, 'nangi ... one day I'll die with my uniform on.Exactly as said, he had to die while wearing his uniform. It was my father who found him this job with the Police. I and Prasad were friends from our childhood. Recently Prasad told me, 'I'll be getting a promotion soon ... you give me the material for the uniform'. He was a skilled and honest officer.He didn't bow down to political influence. He had enemies. Some of those who were with him were against Prasad who worked according to law. Two weeks before this when we met Prasad he said that he was flung mud at and attempts were being taken to prevent the ASP post he was going to get,by certain elements but that he wouldn't be discouraged by that. He was a person who was closely attached to the family. Sometime ago, he mentally collapsed with problems in his marriage also. Prasad became isolated with the two children".

Mr. Prasad who joined the Police Force on October 8th,1989 was an officer who was attached on duty at Ratnapura, Mutwal, Vavuniya, Kirullapone, Peliyagoda and Katunayaka police stations.

CI and OIC of Borella Police, Mr. Prasad Siriwardena who died has been posthumously promoted to the rank of Superintendent of Police and the Ministry of Law and Order has announced that this promotion would take effect from the 16th. 

Information -- Samudika Senani Heenpella / Sisira Kumara