A former Sri Lankan police officer has been implicated in illegal sand smuggling operations in Vadamaradchi, raising further questions over the deep entanglement of state officials in the destructive trade.
The issue was discussed at the Vadamaradchi North Divisional Coordinating Committee meeting on Tuesday, chaired by Divisional Secretary N. Thirilinganathan and Member of Parliament J. Rajeevan.
Rajeevan challenged authorities over the surge in illegal sand excavation across Vadamaradchi and the recent assault on fishermen in Karkovalam by sand mafia groups.
Sri Lankan Police Officer-in-Charge at Point Pedro Priyantha Amarasinghe admitted that his department was unable to curb the illicit trade, citing an apparent shortage of personnel. He claimed that effective action could only be taken with the involvement of the Sri Lankan army or Special Task Force, which continues to occupy the Tamil homeland in massive numbers.
The Committee Chairman went on to present photographic evidence showing that a dismissed police officer owned tipper lorries and was directly engaged in smuggling operations in Vadamaradchi.
Amarasinghe conceded to the revelations and assured the committee that the matter would be addressed.
Illegal sand mining has long been accused of operating with the tacit support and direct involvement of state officials and security forces in the Tamil homeland, fuelling ecological destruction and violence against local communities.
