– The island-wide operation ‘Yukthiya’ is leading children to join the underworld and to move girls to prostitution, as they are unsafe in their homes when both parents are arrested. Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Patali Champika Ranawaka said today.

“According to the reports, a number of parents have been taken into custody in the Colombo area. Their children have been stranded, and they don’t have anyone to provide them with food and protection. Some children do not have the ability to hire lawyers as they do not have money.

“Still, we have not received any messages claiming that the police have apprehended the sharks of the drug supply industry. Most of the names of the main suspects were often announced in the media. But we are still to see the police being able to catch the big fish,”

“During the previous days we saw the police destroying hotels on the beach using bulldozers. The Coast Conservation Department has the full authority to take action to remove unauthorized constructions on the beach . A court order should be obtained to remove them. If police intervene in removing those selected unauthorized constructions and mention that those constructions had been done using money earned from dealing in drugs, then that is against the law,” he added.

MP Ranawaka pointed out that there is a critical connection between choosing hotels of selected persons to be demolished while letting some other hotels continue their businesses.

Therefore, the MP requested the President to show deep concern over the outcome of the ‘Yukthiya’ operation.