Following Public Security Minister Tiran Alles instructing the relevant authorities to initiate action against 'inefficient' senior Police officers and Officers-in-Charge (OIC) of Police stations who allegedly fail to curb various acts of crime in their respective areas, several such officers have been transferred to other areas, The Daily Morning learns.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandana D. Wickramaratne had recently informed Alles that the increase in murders and crimes in certain Provinces had been caused by the inefficiency of certain senior Police officers and OICs in those areas. In response, the Minister has told the IGP to replace such officers with suitable officers.

When queried by The Daily Morning as to whether any such action had taken place in the recent past, Police Media Spokesman and Senior Superintendent of Police, attorney Nihal Thalduwa said that several such officers had been transferred in the recent past. "There are certain officers who get through the interviews with their paper qualifications, but they are not capable enough in carrying out field duties. There have been transfers of such officers, but not in bulk."

On an earlier occasion, he said that there was no possibility of removing such officers from the Police service, but that there is a possibility to transfer them. As a solution, he said that the OICs who are capable of actively working in the field to curb crimes would be deployed to areas where there is a high rate of crimes.