Welcoming the police action taken against those involved in land scams, the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan, encouraged the police to continue such efforts. He also instructed the District Secretaries and the Police to make arrangements to resume District Civil Defense Committee meetings, as was done in the past.
This was discussed during a meeting held at the Governor’s Secretariat on Friday evening – 10th of October 2025, which was attended by the Senior Deputy Inspector General of the Northern Province, Deputy Inspector Generals of Northern Province, Senior Superintendents of Police, Assistant Superintendents of Police, all Officers-in-Charge of Police Stations, and the District Secretaries of the five Northern Districts.
At the beginning of the discussion, the Governor acknowledged improvements in police activities but noted that some police stations still fail to accept public complaints. He stressed that police conduct should build public trust.
The Governor also highlighted issues caused by heavy vehicles during school hours, including road congestion and accidents. He noted that traffic congestion persists even when police are present near schools and recommended deploying additional officers to manage the situation. He further urged measures to prevent heavy vehicles from parking near schools and to address the traffic problems caused by vehicles parked along main roads. The Governor emphasized that such issues can only be resolved with active police cooperation.
The Governor pointed out that at the Vembadi Junction in Jaffna, some parents are crossing traffic lights with their children during school hours, ignoring traffic signals. He requested that police officers be stationed at such locations during these times, as such behavior is dangerous.
The Governor also informed the police that local government authorities are seeking their support to take action against individuals who litter the streets at night. He mentioned that local councils are willing to deploy their personnel in collaboration with the environmental police and emphasized the need for patrols to identify areas where garbage is frequently dumped.
The Governor emphasized the need to take action to curb social evils occurring in the Jaffna Fort area. He also noted that steps have been taken to display coded signs in front of certain business establishments, as direct advertising of smoking products is prohibited. The Governor handed over relevant evidence to the police for further action.
Following this, each District Secretary presented the key issues in their respective districts:
In the Mannar District, the main concerns raised were the shortage of female police officers, illegal sand mining, and the lack of cooperation from the police in resolving government land disputes alongside Divisional Secretaries.
In the Mullaitivu District, the District Secretary highlighted counterfeit alcohol sales (Kasippu) as a major issue. Although information has been collected on the families involved, taking action remains challenging. He also reported ongoing issues such as illegal sand mining, and the smuggling of timber and cattle.
The Jaffna District Secretary reported that drug use, illegal sand mining, and the production of counterfeit alcohol are ongoing issues in the Jaffna district. He also requested the establishment of police stations at Mandaithivu Junction and Punguduthivu Matathuveli to help control cattle smuggling. Additionally, he pointed out that since the police collect fees for the use of loudspeakers, they also have a responsibility to take action against those using loudspeakers at excessive volumes.
The Kilinochchi District Secretary stated that illegal sand mining is a major problem in the Kilinochchi district, particularly near Kallararu, where it is causing forest destruction. He suggested that establishing a police station along the route used to transport the excavated soil to its sale point could help prevent this activity. He also noted that many young people gather at Gautharimunai beach on Saturdays and Sundays, often engaging in conflicts after consuming alcohol, and requested the setup of a police station there. Additionally, he urged the police to cooperate in taking legal action against tattoo parlors targeting school students.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police for Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts stated that illegal sand mining is concentrated in only one village in Kilinochchi, and the main challenge for the police is accessing the area to make arrests. He also revealed that illegal sand smuggling has become a business, with some individuals reportedly paying police officers to allow it. He highlighted that a special team has been formed under his leadership to address the issue, and in the last three months, 130 tipper trucks involved in illegal sand transport have been apprehended.
Furthermore, the police pointed out that the Excise Department holds greater authority than the police in matters related to the production of counterfeit alcohol, and that they do not provide adequate cooperation in these cases.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Northern Provincial Road Passenger Transport Authority noted that, many police officers are unaware that the Northern Provincial Road Passenger Transport Authority is a government institution. He also expressed concern that when the Authority takes legal action, and the opposing party files a complaint at police stations, the police summon the Authority for investigation, which harms its reputation. He also stated that some buses operating public transport in the Northern Province are running on kerosene, and that the Presidential Secretariat has directed action to stop this. He added that if the police report such buses to the Authority, their permits will be canceled until they switch to diesel.
The Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Northern Province, in his concluding remarks, emphasized that discussions like these are essential, as they help resolve many issues effectively.
The discussion was also attended by the Chief Secretary of the Northern Province, the Secretary to the Governor, the District Secretaries of Mannar, Mullaitivu, Jaffna, and Kilinochchi, the Secretary to the Provincial Ministry of Local Government of the Northern Province, the Chairman and General Manager of the Northern Province Road Passenger Transport Authority, the Commissioner of the Northern Province Motor Traffic Department, and the Commissioner of the Probation and Child Care Department of the Northern Province.
