Sri Lankan authorities are actively searching for Inspector-General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon, following a court-issued arrest warrant over the fatal shooting of an officer during a failed raid.
Tennakoon, who has a controversial past, has been missing since Friday, when a magistrate in the island’s south ordered his arrest. The warrant stems from allegations that he sanctioned the December 31, 2023, raid, which turned deadly.
Police Chief Goes Into Hiding
A senior officer told AFP that authorities attempted to execute the arrest warrant at Tennakoon’s residence but discovered he had gone into hiding, leaving his bodyguards behind. Additionally, a foreign travel ban has been imposed on the 53-year-old, preventing him from fleeing Sri Lanka.
The disputed operation took place at a hotel in Weligama, a coastal resort town 150 kilometers (95 miles) south of Colombo. Tennakoon allegedly dispatched a unit from the capital to search for illegal drugs. However, local police—unaware of the covert mission—engaged in a shootout with the Colombo-based unit. The clash resulted in one officer’s death and left another critically wounded. Notably, no drugs were found at the scene.
A Controversial Appointment
Despite his controversial history, Tennakoon was appointed as Sri Lanka’s police chief in November 2023. However, his appointment was met with resistance, leading to a Supreme Court challenge. In July 2024, the court suspended him pending a formal hearing.
Adding to the controversy, Sri Lanka’s highest court previously ruled that Tennakoon had tortured a suspect in custody—specifically, by applying menthol balm to the victim’s genitals. The court ordered him to pay 500,000 rupees ($1,600) in damages, but the government at the time failed to take disciplinary action against him.
Ongoing Legal and Political Fallout
The case has sparked national and international concern, drawing attention to police accountability and judicial oversight in Sri Lanka. As authorities intensify their search, the country awaits further developments on this high-profile scandal.
