COLOMBO, July 20: Sri Lanka has dismissed Deputy Inspector General of Police Nilantha Jayawardena following a disciplinary inquiry into his failure to act on intelligence ahead of the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed around 270 people. Jayawardena, who led the State Intelligence Service at the time, was placed on compulsory leave in July 2024 and found guilty of all charges by the National Police Commission. He was also fined 75 million rupees in compensation to victims.
The 2019 attacks, carried out by ISIS-linked National Thawheed Jamaat, targeted churches and hotels. The Supreme Court earlier ruled that Jayawardena and other top officials, including then-President Maithripala Sirisena, violated fundamental rights by failing to prevent the attacks. Sirisena was ordered to pay 100 million rupees. The Catholic Church has demanded international investigations, expressing dissatisfaction with the local probe. Jayawardena is the most senior officer held accountable so far. (PTI)
