Senior DIG probed for conduct unbecoming of an officer

By Norman Palihawadana

Police headquarters yesterday (26) said that an investigation was underway into an incident involving Senior DIG Ranmal Kodituwakku.

Police initiated an inquiry after a video of Kodituwakku, the senior officer in charge of the Sabaragamuwa Range, dragging an unidentified driver towards a police jeep and hitting him on the head went viral on social media. The incident happened on the Kiriella-Ratnapura road.

Senior DIG Kodituwakku said it was not a serious incident. The top police officer blamed the reckless driver for not cooperating with the police. Had the driver cooperated with the police, this wouldn’t have happened, the Sabaragamuwa police chief said. Kodituwakku said so when The Island sought his response to Police headquarters initiating an inquiry into his conduct.

The late IGP Lucky Kodituwakku’s son, Ranmal said that he was ready to face an inquiry.

The video being shared on the social media shows an incident that took place at Gorakaela on Monday showing policemen including one wearing the insignia of a senior DIG, manhandling a youth. As per the video, the youth came on the same road and overtook the police vehicle.

The youth says in the video that the police officers were drunk at the time of the incident. After the youth shouted that they were drunk the senior DIG is seen getting into the police vehicle. The video contains sounds of the police siren.

The police headquarters yesterday in a statement said that it has commenced an investigation into an alleged disgraceful conduct of a senior DIG in the Sabaragamuwa province.