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Out go posters and cut-outs
By Asif Fuard and Dilip Rangajith
Hours after 13 candidates handed over their nominations for the November 17 presidential elections, thousands of police officers were deployed in Colombo and the suburbs to pull down posters and cut-outs using equipment ranging from high-pressure water pumps to ordinary knives.

From midnight Friday, the police have also set up new checkpoints in various parts of the country and taken other tough measures to prevent or quell election offences or violence.

The police campaign to maintain the law and order during the presidential race is personally supervised by Inspector General Chandra Fernando with Deputy Inspector General Gamini Navaratne heading the elections desk in association with other DIGs.

So far the situation has been largely under control with many of the complains being of minor incidents but police officers said they were taking no chances and would maintain tight security.

As part of police surveillance, intelligence teams have been sent to various areas where violence at previous elections was on an intensive scale.
From the provinces, Sabaragamuwa DIG Neville Wijeysinghe said the situation was well under control and only four incidents were reported and tough action was taken in all four cases to make it clear that no nonsense would be tolerated.

Kandy DIG Nimal Mediwake said only three incidents had been reported so far but police were on full alert. In one of the few serious incidents at Katugastota, UNP-controllled Pujapitiya Pradeshiya Sabha chairman Suranjith Wickremasuriya and three others were arrested on Friday for allegedly attacking UPFA supporters while they were pasting posters around 2.30 a.m. on Frdiay.

In the Northwestern Province, police said their timely action prevented a gang from setting fire to Ranil Wickremesinghe cut-out at Tuesday midnight.
But the situation in Trincomalee appears to be different. While reports from the area indicate a spree of incidents, DIG Rohan Abeygunawardene said he did not wish to comment.

Meanwhile, the People’s Action Front for Free and Fair Elections said four incidents had been reported to it so far.

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