After the 20th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution reduced the independence of the police Ramesh Pathirana was accused by other SLPP MPs of assuming the power of the police chief. SLPP legislator Chandima Weerakkody claimed that all police transfers were done according to letters sent by Pathirana where many OICs were appointed according to political ties rather than merit where many inexperienced officers were promoted over senior experienced officers. Thus the police was incapable of handling the mass violence that occurred when loyalists of Mahinda Rajapaksa including those brought by Pathirana attacked peaceful protestors on 9 May 2022. The resulting retaliatory riots destroyed many houses of Rajapaksa loyalists including that of Pathirana as the politicised police was incapable was handling the situation.[8]
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