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Police to probe alleged threat to VVIP's relative
By Chris Kamalendran
Inspector General of Police T.E.Anandarajah has dispatched a special police team to Minneriya to investigate an incident where a prominent UNF non-cabinet minister in the area allegedly threatened the relative of another UNF Cabinet Minister over a land dispute.

The IGP's action came after the alleged victim wrote to him stating that the Police in the area refused to take action against the politico who threatened him but had instead told the complainant that it was advisable that he leave the area.
Since then, three armed police guards have been put on 24 hour duty at the site of the dispute.

The complainant alleges that he owns one and half acres of land in Minihirigama, Minneriya that he has been in the process of developing agriculturally.
The complainant had first been threatened on February 14, 2003 by a man in Army uniform who had illegally entered the premises of his land and asked the employees there to leave immediately saying that someone else was taking possession of the land.

When the complainant reached the premises late that night, a policeman from the Hingurakgoda police had informed him over the telephone that there were several complaints pending against him and that he must leave the land immediately or he would be arrested for trespassing.

The complainant them consulted his attorney who ascertained there were no complaints against him and thus had proceeded to the Hingurakgoda police station to lodge a complaint that he was being threatened.

Later he had met the HQI of the area who had advised him to leave the premises immediately as there were fifteen people who had come from Colombo in three vehicles who would not hesitate to use violence.

Fearing for the safety of his employees as well as himself, the victim had written to the IGP with copies addressed to the Prime Minister, and several other Police and Army personnel in the area to investigate the matter and to advise the Hingurakgoda police to act with diligence and dignity and carry out their duties properly as the custodians of the law.

The victim claims that he is being forced out of the area as the politico in question was feeling threatened by his growing popularity among the common masses in the area.

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