The Northern Province Governor, Hon. N. Vethanayahan, has urged the police to exercise heightened vigilance in curbing the rising incidents of land scams, illegal sand mining, and drug use in the Northern Province.
A special meeting between the Governor of the Northern Province and the newly appointed Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police for the province, Buddhika Sriwardana, was held today – on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, at the Governor’s Secretariat. During the meeting, the Governor made the above statement.
Incidents of land fraud involving the use of forged ‘declaration deeds’ are on the rise in the Jaffna District. The Governor requested that the preventive measures currently being implemented by the police be continued.
The Governor highlighted that illegal sand mining is occurring in several areas of the Kilinochchi District without effective oversight, and noted that the police are unable to access certain locations. In response, the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police stated that he has requested the assistance of the Special Task Force to implement control measures in those areas.
The Governor emphasized that although the activities of the sword-wielding groups are currently under a degree of control, continuous monitoring remains essential.
Speaking at the meeting, the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police noted, “Some violent incidents are being carried out in this region using funds sent from abroad, and many individuals have been arrested in connection with these activities. Additionally, certain persons are planning and staging such violent incidents in order to obtain documentation to seek political asylum overseas.”
The Governor requested that special measures be implemented to curb the sale of drugs targeting students in school environments, and he was assured that such measures would be put into effect immediately.
At the same time, the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police noted that, there has been a rise in complaints from the public regarding fraud committed under the pretext of offering foreign employment opportunities.
He noted that, despite ongoing awareness campaigns, it is troubling that people continue to be repeatedly deceived by these agents.
The Governor also requested that the police extend their full cooperation to disaster mitigation efforts, working in coordination with the Disaster Management Unit, as the Northern Province is at risk of experiencing adverse impacts from the current unfavourable weather conditions.
The Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police assured the provincial administration of his full cooperation in maintaining law and order.
