A Police Sergeant attached to the Kebithigollewa Police station died after he was assaulted by the residents of the Rambakepuwewa village during a tense situation that occurred on Monday night. The tense situation occurred after a 48-year-old resident of the village was killed by a wild elephant which was roaming in the area for several days.

Police arrested a monk and 14 others over the death of the Sergeant afterwards.The residents claimed that the police nor the wildlife officers quickly responded to their telephone calls and took action to chase the elephant away.

Angry villagers had burnt tyres after blocking the Kebithigollewa - Padaviya main road in protest over the death of the village. When the police arrived in the village to take over the body of the deceased, nearly 150 residents of the area had expressed their objection to the police which had later developed into a tense situation by the police being assaulted by the villagers.

A team of five police officers including the OIC of the Kebithigollewa police had visited the scene and the OIC had to open fire into the air to control the crowd when they attempted to grab the firearm of the police sergeant, Police Media Spokesman, SSP, Nihal Thalduwa said.

However, the provoked crowd had assaulted the police team with stones and clubs thus causing injuries to the head of 54-year-old Sergeant A.P. Sunil (12601), who died on admission to the hospital. The police team amidst the tense situation had reached the injured officer and took him to the Kebithigollewa hospital. As the officer was in critical condition, he was transferred to the Anuradhapura hospital by Kebithigollewa hospital. However, the victim had been admitted to the Medawachchiya hospital while being taken to the Anuradhapura hospital due to his deteriorating health condition and he died there, the Spokesman said.

He is a father of two who lived in Wariyapola.

Police have arrested 15 suspects including a 29-year-old monk in connection with the death of the police sergeant. The monk is from the Sri Bodhirukkharamaya Temple of Rambakepuwewa. The other arrested suspects are also residents of the same village. Police are conducting investigation to arrest more suspects who were the members of this unlawful assembly in connection with this murder, the spokesman said.

The body of the deceased villager was also taken to the Kebithigollewa hospital by the police after the situation was brought under control. The post-mortem into the deaths were to be conducted.

Kebithigollewa police are conducting an investigation into the death of the police officer under the direct supervision of the area SSP.

According to the police media spokesman, the Kebithigollewa police had conducted a number of social services in this village and the temple during the past few months.

Meanwhile, the wife of the deceased police officer said authorities should take steps to provide a permanent solution to the human - elephant conflict which claims the lives of the innocent. “I lost my husband due to this issue. He is a very good person.”