By Shamindra Ferdinando
In a strange twist of events, a senior policeman who was unceremoniously kicked out of a province in December last year for political reasons has been placed in charge of an ambitious country-wide anti-crime drive.

Sirisena Herath, the then DIG of the Central Range was transferred to police headquarters as a result of differences with some of PA's bigwigs during the violent parliamentary election campaign in the Central Range particularly the Kandy district. Herath's vacancy was filled by DIG Mahinda Balasuriya who accused his predecessor of failing to provide adequate security to the Dalada Maligawa.

Herath has been appointed DIG, Crimes with powers to co-ordinate and monitor the anti-crime drive, police said yesterday adding that president Chandrika Kumaratunga has approved the appointment.

The proposed anti-crime drive will be based on an "action plan" prepared by police headquarters following a presidential directive.

The team that formulated the plan included senior DIG T. E. Anandarajah and DIG Herath, the sources said. The two officers last Monday met President Kumaratunga and obtained her approval to carry out the anti-crime drive aimed at battling organised criminal activities [underworld] and other incidents of violence including armed robbery and rape.

Police headquarters said that rewards and commendations will be awarded to officers and men who play leading roles in the anti-crime drive. The post of DIG Crimes was especially created to handle the anti-crime drive, it said.

Herath has also been appointed DIG, Terrorist Investigation Division [TID]. The post was earlier held by the late DIG Lionel Karunasena.

As DIG, Crimes, Herath will have authority to co-ordinate and monitor police operations in any part of the country including the central province from where he was transferred for apparently angering political bosses during the parliamentary election. Immediately after his transfer, several officers who worked under him to were moved out and a special unit that cracked down on terrorist activity, organised crimes and vices was disbanded.

President Kumaratunga had met with senior police officers on several occasions to discuss ways and means to tackle rising wave of crime in the past few years. However, police had failed in their area as a result of political interference and some corrupt policemen.