Attempts to prevent an attack on the struggle were thwarted by two leaders !

Deshabandu makes a controversial statement to the Human Rights Commission

Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon has stated in a statement to the Human Rights Commission that two senior officers attached to the security forces had exerted strong pressure to implement the special security plan they had drawn up to prevent an attack on the Galle Face protest.

Sources say that Mr. Tennakoon's statement stated that the people at the Galle Face protest area were attacked as they were not allowed to implement this special security plan.

The senior DIG has stated that these senior officers had called him and pressured him not to use tear gas and water cannons on those who had come to attack the Galle Face protest ground.

According to sources, President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has instructed those at Temple Trees to refrain from marching towards the Galle Face protest site from the beginning.

The President has repeatedly instructed Deshabandu Tennakoon to prevent them from entering the area and send them on another route.

Accordingly, Deshabandu Tennakoon and other police officers had taken steps to send the group leaving Temple Trees along Nawam Mawatha.

However, a large number of people, including former Deputy Minister Sanath Nishantha, had traveled along the Galle Road towards Mainagogama and Gotagogama.

Mr. Deshabandu Tennakoon had made a concerted effort to prevent the group from moving towards the Galle Face Green.

Two teams of water cannons and riot squads were called in to disperse the group before entering the Galle Face Green.

According to the statements given by Deshabandu Tennakoon before the Human Rights Commission, MP Sanath Nishantha has also spoken privately and instructed not to take this action.

However, as the group continued to march towards the Galle Face Green, the police were ready to disperse them.

At that time, a senior security official had called Deshabandu Tennakoon on his mobile phone and ordered him not to use water cannons or tear gas to disperse the group.

Police were trying hard to stop the rioters but were unable to enforce it. Mr. Tennakoon said in a statement that he had informed the President about the inhumane attack on protesters by protesters at the Galle Face Green.

The President has ordered the use of water cannons and tear gas to control the conflict and disperse the protesters.

Mr. Tennakoon has stated that the police used water cannons and tear gas during the clashes at the Galle Face protest area on the instructions of the President.