Inspector-General Of Police Resigns Over Killings

Pujith Jayasundara, the Inspector General of Police in Sri Lanka, has resigned following the Easter Sunday bombings that killed at least 320 people in the country.

Suspected terrorists had carried out coordinated suicide attacks on three churches and three luxury hotels in the South Asia country’s commercial capital of Colombo on April 21, 2019.

At least 42 foreign nationals, which comprised tourists and businesspersons among others, and three police officers were among those killed during the deadly attack.

The hotels that were bombed were the Shangri-La, Cinnamon Grand, Kingsbury and Tropical Inn.

Jayasundara’s resignation was confirmed on Friday by Sri Lanka’s President, Maithripala Sirisena.

“The IGP has resigned. He has sent his resignation to the acting defence secretary,” Sirisena told reporters on Friday, adding that, “I’ll nominate a new IGP soon.”

Sirisena’s new nominee for the top police job would have to be confirmed by constitutional council in the South Asian country.

Prior to Jayasundara’s resignation, Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary, Hemasiri Fernando, had resigned on Thursday due to alleged failures that led to deadly Easter bomb attacks.