Personal security for MPs based on threat assessment Sri Lankan police chief

Colombo, May 26 (PTI) Members of the Sri Lankan Parliament would be provided personal security based on threat assessment, according to an official release on Monday.
     Quoting the island nation's police chief Priyantha Weerasuriya, the press release by the Parliament said the decision was taken after a meeting three days ago following personal security concerns raised by opposition Members of Parliament (MPs).
     Weerasuriya said MPs are free to seek protection and based on a threat assessment the requests would be referred to the National Security Council.
     He said that recent incidents of gunfire-related murders were related to ongoing gang rivalry between organised crime groups and drug dealers.
     The police chief added local politicians too have links with organised crime gangs.
     Last week, main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa raised concern over the rising rate of gunfire-related murders seen since January.
     “52 killed in 79 incidents of shooting over the last eight months, these are happening while (the) government maintains that such incidents do not threaten national security,” Premadasa said.
     The Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala had also told Parliament that opposition parties maintain links with organised crime and underworld gangs.
     These claims were denied by the opposition, who sought the names of such individuals.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)