News

Army deployed to provide security for Parliament

25 Apr, 2020

By Vyshnavy Velrajh

The Army has been deployed to provide security for Parliament, the Colombo Gazette learns.

The move comes amidst demands by the opposition for the Government to reconvene Parliament.

However, the military says the Army has been deployed to provide security to Parliament as the Police are on coronavirus duty.

Military Spokesman Brigadier Chandana Wickremesinghe told the Colombo Gazette the Army have been deployed on duty for the outer peri- meter of Parliament.

There is a shortage of Police Officers to carry out COVID-19 duties including inspections in coronavirus affected areas like Bandaranayake Mawatha in Colombo-12.

As a result, the Department of Police has requested the Military to deploy Army personnel to Parliament in order to relieve Police officers on Parliament duty.

The Police officers have thereafter been transferred to COVID-19 duties, the Brigadier explained.

He further said that Army personnel are not permitted to inspect residences, and that responsibility is in the hands of the Police.

As a result more Police officers are required for COVID-19 duties.

The move to deploy troops to Parliament is an exchange of duties to help the Government?s efforts in tackling the spread of COVID-19 in Sri Lanka, the Military Spokesman added. (Colombo Gazette)

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