The security details of former Presidents have been scaled down following a review of security threat assessments, Police have confirmed.
Accordingly, the security detail for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been reduced from 116 personnel to 60, with three Defender vehicles also withdrawn. Former President Maithripala Sirisena’s security detail has been limited to 51 personnel, while that of former President Chandrika Kumaratunga has been reduced to 58.
It is anticipated that the security detail for Ranil Wickremesinghe, the immediate predecessor of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, will also be reduced in the near future.
Meanwhile, Attorney-at-Law Manoj Gamage has criticised the Government’s decision to significantly curtail Mahinda Rajapaksa’s security. Speaking at a media briefing held at the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Policy Office, Gamage disclosed that the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of Human Resource Management had officially informed Rajapaksa’s security division of this decision in a letter issued on Tuesday (10).
Gamage claimed that a total of 116 security personnel assigned to Rajapaksa, including officers with specialised VIP security training, have been withdrawn. He expressed concern, highlighting the potential security risks posed by groups still influenced by the ideology of the slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.
Gamage described the Government’s actions as a serious concern, particularly in light of Rajapaksa’s pivotal role in eradicating terrorism during his presidency.
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