An Assistant Police Inspector, working as a personal assistant to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Nuwara Eliya district, allegedly assaulted a restaurant owner and his employees in the early hours of October 3rd, making false accusations against them. According to reports, the police officer, who arrived at the restaurant in a jeep around 2:30 am, verbally abused the staff and attacked them.
The inspector, who has served under several DIGs in the Nuwara Eliya District, has reportedly been frequenting hotels and restaurants in the area, consuming food and alcohol without paying, using his position to intimidate the owners. Restaurant owners in the area have expressed their grievances over the officer’s misconduct, claiming he often acts inappropriately, especially under the influence of alcohol.
On the day of the incident, the officer allegedly visited a restaurant near the Nuwara Eliya Mosque, demanded alcohol, and accused the restaurant staff of contaminating food to harm the Sinhalese community. He reportedly forced the restaurant owner and employees to eat the food prepared for sale while hurling offensive language at them.
The following day, public health inspectors conducted a raid on the restaurant, allegedly threatening to close it down. The restaurant owner also reported being verbally abused by the officer, who suggested that one of his employees should leave the job to work for a Sinhalese employer.
The owner of the restaurant, who has been facing harassment from this officer for some time, expressed doubt about receiving justice from the authorities due to the officer’s position in the police force. He hopes for a fair investigation into the matter.
