Commanding Officer of the Army 21 Division in Anuradhapura Major General Mohan Ratnayake had lodged a complaint with the Habarana Police against a group of Wildlife Officers on defamation.
Reports have been circulating on social media alleging that the military officer had assaulted a group of Wildlife Officers when they had gone to investigate an incident with regard to a baby elephant being allegedly taken by the Army Officer. The Wildlife Officers had claimed that they were assaulted by the Army Officer, and they were obstructed in carrying out their duties.
However, Military Spokesman Brigadier Dilantha Premaratne said that Maj. Gen. Mohan Ratnayake had been travelling from Habarana to Anuradhapura in his vehicle with another backup vehicle and as he had entered the camp around 11 pm, a group of Wildlife Officers in a vehicle had come and told the sentry point that a baby elephant had been brought into the camp in the two vehicles that had entered the camp premises. Then the CCMP sentry had told them to wait until they notified the Commanding Officer. However, they had turned the vehicle and gone off. When the sentry had notified the Major General, he had followed the path taken by the Wildlife Officers and the check point in Galkulama was notified to stop the vehicle. But the cab of the Wildlife Officers had not stopped at the check point, the next road block was notified, but it failed to stop the vehicle.
According to the Major General, the cab had been stopped at a tank and the Major General had stopped and questioned the Wildlife Officers why they had accused him of stealing an elephant and why they were tarnishing his reputation. He claims the Wildlife Officers were consuming liquor and had thrown the bottle into the tank when they saw the Army Officer. The Military Spokesman said that thereafter an argument had followed leading to the incident. However, the Military Officer had later lodged a complaint with the Habarana Police claiming that the Wildlife Officers were attempting to tarnish his reputation by levelling false allegations against him. The wildlife Officers, too, had lodged a complaint with the Police that their duties had been obstructed.
Further investigations are being carried out by the Police. However, the military raises the question why the Wildlife Officers had left the camp without confronting the Military Officer if he had an elephant.
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