Police are accused of torturing and killing in custody

The police chief for his part accuses human rights organisations of preventing the law enforcement authorities from acting against criminals.

When asked who he describes as criminals, the police chief says anybody who was convicted before and still has contacts with other ‘rogue elements’ should be considered a criminal.

Analysts also believe the police are using Sri Lankan media as a scare monger showing “a devil” behind which to hide their inability to deal with rising crime.

Have your say.

Crime in Sri Lanka goes without scrutinized. Judiciary should be protected for people to be protected. Punishment for crime should be met so that to protect the society. High discipline in government and police essential. Democracy has no meaning without a discipline society. Let us live in peace.
M.S.Mackie Mohamed, Stavanger, Norway

The legal system in the country does not offre any redress and as such the police too find it tough to implement any law. The fact is also that the President herself has accused the police of been corrupt with no action been take, thus providing unlawful eliments the power to take the law to their own hands thus creating a state of anarchy.
Kenneth De Zilwa, Colombo, Sri Lanka

I think currently Sri Lanka has major problems with regard to the future of the country. To name..the LTTE issue, Muslim militants in east, christian & muslim fundamentalists who need to destroy Buddhism, NGOs and Human Rights Organisations. Out of these NGOs and Human Rights Organisations are the most dangerous and who is a curse to this country. NGO do good we know but very few. More than 90% of the NGOs support christain fundamentalists and they want to dstroy the Buddhist Culture in Sri Lanka. I sadly say even Sandeshaya helps this propaganda. No need of witten proof, just listening to your radio is enough. Once I listened to a program called "Gee mini Aara" in which one who was known as Sucharitha Gamlath destroyed the image of a patriotic song by Master Amradheva. I was amazed how he described the song as a song damaging ethnic peace.
Kamal Senevirathne, Balangoda, Sri Lanka

Very good story. Good journalism. Keep up the good work.
Lakshman Gunasekara, Sri Lanka

Many human rights organisations are only concerned about the criminals. What about the victims of the criminals. Dont they have human rights? All these humah right organisations has become a desaster to the country as they try to protect underworld gange. This is pathatic, they going after money given by those under world people.
Sampath, Colombo, Sri Lanka

This is situation always existed for tamils for a long time. Now , not enough tamils available so sinhalas are targeted.
K Kopal, London, UK

A HR Organization should be a balanced body if they are to be recognized as an impartial organization.They must look into the rights of Victims as well as the criminals.If not we cannot accept as an impartial organ.Hence I would say they work for their popularity.
Kalyananda Kudahetti, Makeni, Sierra Leone

IGP Chandra Fernando should know more about civil Law and human rights as he works, studied in overseas countries like Japan. Also he should not have any intention to safeguard corrupt officials as he says. People hesitate to believe SL police because of few correpted officials. Present IGP have to work more to recover this pathetic situation.
Handapangoda, Tokyo, Japan

Send Sri Lankan Police to Tamil Eelam, let them learn from Eelam Police. Justice and civil service. Sri Lankan police are after all criminals and bribers and injustice people. Jana, London

When I was 17 Sri Lankan police arrested me under supicion although I had valid police stay permit issued by local police station in Colombo, I was tortured I was beaten mercilessly, All for no reason after 15 days, Sri Lanka police begged my parents, bribed Rs.5000 and released me.
Siva, London, UK

Police is not good in srilanka i enderstand whats going on becase they beat me long time ago.
Densil, Colombo,Sri Lanka

Send Sri Lankan Police to Tamil Eelam, let them learn from Eelam Police. Justice and civil service. Sri Lankan police are after all criminals and bribers and injustice people.
Jana, London, UK

In a Democratic country,Police are puplic servants, they are not Judges to punish or execute the people. If they do so,we have to consider that country is in a Dictator's ruling system. Criminals should be punished by Justise not by Police.
James Niththi, London, UK

Most of Human Rights Organisations are working not for the human rights but for the rights of terrorist and criminals .
Ranjith Perera, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Yes, there are criminals all over Sri Lanka. To start with police have to take actions against politicians (95% of them are criminals). You start from the top, then rest will follow. Not just torture poor suspects. Fisrt of all my home land (Sri Lanka) need to be cleaned up and eliminate those politicians who are responsible for Bribary, corruption, thuggery, and rape and murders. Unless and untill you do that my country never be able to stand on its own. For instant we recently watched a TV program called "Amazing Race" and those who participate that flew from Ithiopia to Sri Lanka, they disguest most of the things in Sri Lanka. And what happend to the TSunami Aids? Are they in the pockets of the authorities? We need a good leader. No Chandrika ,No Ranil, no Prabhaharan.
Sampath, Melbourne, Australia

Most of Human Rights Organisations are working not for the human rights but for the rights of terrorist and criminals . Ranjith Perera, Sri Lanka

It is good to expose the abuses of the state police. Would these human rights organizations be looking into the killings and torture by the LTTE also?
Sumedha Senerath, Canada

SriLanka has already entered an era of terror. Everyday there is someone killed in the East. In its reporting, BBC Sinhala service shows a absurd sense of priority and sense of proportion.
Ranjith Liyanage, UK

No of crimes and criminals in the city has increased. Torturing suspects is part of the process to identify the suspects. It is OK to do it with control.
Sunil Kariyawasam, Auckland, New Zealand

It is not surprise news. Go to any part of Sri Lanka, people are scared of police. The meaning of police is completely opposite in Sri Lanka (it is same in India too). I would have believed that is how the police like if I never made to UK or Europe. I do not think this will change unless we have a fear government and independent (I mean independent) justice systems.
Shan Mylvaganam, London, England

Underworld should be eradicated. Regardless political background majority in Sri Lanka wants to live without fear. Therefore all underworld gangs to be killed otherwise it can not be wiped out. It is a duty of civilized government. Using Police, CID or any other Forces this kind of threat wiped out from the nation.
Sasanka Perera, Wattala, Sri Lanka

This type of torture against criminals is absolutely inhumane and non-acceptable. The Sri Lankan government's policy of handling criminals is not consistent at all. SL government let police shoot some of the criminals simply because they demand ransom from civilians while providing air travel to others who blast bombs killing thousands.
Anuruddha Munasinghe, Melbourne, Australia