Northern Governor Welcomes Police Action Against Land Fraud; Calls for Continued Efforts

Northern Province Governor N.Vedanayahan welcomed the recent police actions taken against those involved in land fraud cases and urged authorities to continue such operations consistently.

He also instructed District Secretaries and police officers to organize regular District Civil Security Committee meetings as conducted in the past. The discussion took place on Friday evening (10.10.2025) at the Governor’s Secretariat with the participation of the Senior DIG for the Northern Province, Deputy DIGs, Senior Superintendents of Police, Assistant Superintendents of Police, OICs of all police stations, and District Secretaries from the five districts of the Northern Province.

During the discussion, the Governor acknowledged the progress made by the police but noted that in some police stations, complaints from the public were still being disregarded. He stressed that police conduct must inspire public trust. The Governor also highlighted the issue of traffic congestion and accidents caused by heavy vehicles during school hours. He urged deploying additional officers in front of schools and prohibiting heavy vehicles from parking near them to ensure student safety. He also pointed out that vehicles parked along main roadsides were creating severe traffic congestion and that police cooperation was crucial in resolving these issues.

Referring to Jaffna’s Vembadi Junction traffic light area, the Governor noted that during school hours, parents often ignore traffic signals while traveling with their children. He said such behavior was dangerous and instructed police officers to be present at key intersections during school hours. He further noted that local authorities had requested police cooperation in taking action against individuals dumping garbage at night. The Governor emphasized that environmental police, together with local councils, should identify frequently littered areas and conduct regular patrols to prevent such acts.

The Governor also urged immediate police action to curb social misconduct in Jaffna Fort area. He revealed that despite restrictions on advertising tobacco products, some traders were displaying coded signs in front of their shops. The Governor handed over evidence related to these violations to the police for further investigation.

During the meeting, each District Secretary presented key local issues. In Mannar, concerns were raised about the shortage of female police officers, illegal sand mining, and police failure to cooperate with Divisional Secretaries in resolving state land disputes. In Mullaitivu, the District Secretary highlighted illicit liquor brewing as the major issue, along with illegal sand mining, timber smuggling, and cattle trafficking. In Jaffna, problems of drug abuse, illicit liquor production, and illegal sand mining were reported. The District Secretary requested the establishment of police checkpoints at Mandaitivu Junction and Pungudutivu-Madathuvelli to prevent cattle smuggling and stressed that police should also act against excessive loudspeaker use.

The Kilinochchi District Secretary reported that illegal sand excavation near Kallarai was destroying forest areas and suggested that setting up police checkpoints along transport routes could prevent it. He also mentioned that large groups of youth were gathering at Koutharimunai Beach during weekends to consume alcohol, leading to conflicts, and urged police deployment there. Police officers from Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu acknowledged that some villagers involved in sand mining were bribing the police, and despite forming a special task force, it remained a challenge. The meeting concluded with the Senior DIG for the Northern Province stating that such discussions were essential for resolving many pressing issues in the region.

The session was attended by the Chief Secretary of the Northern Province, the Governor’s Secretary, District Secretaries of Mannar, Mullaitivu, Jaffna, and Kilinochchi, the Secretary to the Northern Provincial Ministry of Local Government, the Chairman and General Manager of the Northern Province Passenger Transport Authority, the Commissioner of the Northern Provincial Department of Motor Traffic, and the Commissioner of the Northern Provincial Department of Probation and Child Care Services.

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