​Team of 25 police officers deployed ... to apprehend 4 students who plucked 30 coconuts ​from estate of high rung lady politico!

​Team of 25 police officers deployed ... 

to apprehend 4 students who plucked 30 coconuts ​from estate of high rung lady politico!

An instance where 25 police officers were deployed in order to apprehend 4 schoolchildren who had plucked thirty coconuts from an estate in Mihintale police area belonging to a high rung politico.

4 students had gained access without permission to a certain land in Kaleththewa area in Mihintale and the land belonged to a powerful lady politician representing parliament. These 4 students had 4 days before had plucked 30 coconuts and 'kurumba' and no sooner the news reached ears of this

politico, she had instructed a high police officer in the area to arrest the suspects.

The lady who was in a high temper had spoken in a high tone and on orders given by her, the high police officer instructed Mihintale police to immediately apprehend the people who had plucked coconuts from the Kaleththewa coconut estate. According to his instructions 25 police officers had visited the place concerned and commenced investigations and coming to know that the suspects who had plucked the coconuts from the estate of the lady had managed to take them into custody with 15 coconuts. 

Mihintale police informed the high police officer that the culprits who plucked the coconuts were minors who were schoolchildren and he in turn had notified it to the lady politico. She had then told the high police officer that if the suspects were some school students it is not necessary to produce them before courts. However, the high police officer had informed the police officer who conducted the arrest to direct the 4 schoolchildren to the lady's house and to ask for pardon from her. On that occasion he had replied saying that could never be done. "Sir, if those children go there, if by chance one of them happen to assault me ... that'll be a problem. Don't make such a request ... I'll produce them before court", it was revealed. 

Later as the lady politico said that it is not necessary to bring them before court, the parents of the four school students were sent to her house and made to plead for pardon. The lady politico then warned them severely asking them to be alert about their children. 

When inquiring from Mr. Thilina Hewapathirana, Superintendent of Police in charge of Anuradhapura division through telephone, whether 25 police officers from Mihintale police were deployed to to catch the coconut thieves under orders of a high police officer, this is how he responded: "Who is it that tells those lies ... 25 officers did not go. No Minister gave such orders either. On the complaint received, inquiries were conducted and four students studying in a leading school in Anuradhapura were taken into custody. I received instructions that no complaints were necessary to release them. These children were addicted to narcotics. When complaints are received saying that they had entered a land where access points are closed ... should we keep quiet? You'll create problems that are not there", he said.