Sri Lanka police chief resigns over clashes

[News_Editor]

Sri Lanka police chief resigns over clashes

2011-06-01 22:39:14 GMT+7 (ICT)

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA (BNO NEWS) -- Sri Lankan chief of police on Wednesday submitted his resignation after police and factory workers clashed on the outskirts of Sri Lanka's capital earlier this week.

The Colombo Page reported that Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasooriya submitted his resignation following the clashes. He took responsibility for the police exceeding their powers on Monday in the clash between the police and Free Trade Zone workers where over 300 persons were injured.

Police Spokesperson SP Prishantha Jayakody, however, said the chief retired from service in order to pursue further studies in Russia.

An inspector and a sub inspector were arrested under suspicion of creating the clashes during a protest against the Sri Lankan government's proposed pension scheme for the private sector. Police used tear gas and fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowd, while factory workers retaliated with stones.

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