Agencies / Colombo

Sri Lanka, former defence secretary and police chief have been arrested today for their negligence to prevent Easter Sunday attacks. Hemasiri Fernando was removed from the post of defence secretary after the April 21 attacks and was receiving treatment at the General Hospital. Inspector General of Police, Pujith Jayasundara who was sent on compulsory leave was arrested from police hospital where he was admitted this morning.

In a dramatic turn, both officials were arrested when they were admitted in hospitals. Both of them have been remanded till tomorrow morning as security guards have been placed around their hospital beds. The defence secretary was removed after Easter attacks while police chief sent on compulsory leave which he has challenged in Supreme Court.

Country’s attorney general has earlier asked acting police chief to act against both officials and yesterday sent a strong reminder for the same. CID had summoned them for interrogation this morning but they got admitted which led to arrests.

Sri Lankan government has accepted that there were intelligence inputs about the attack which they failed to act upon.