Sri Lankan president appoints acting police chief following Easter bombings

 C.D. Wickramaratne

COLOMBO, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Monday appointed an acting police chief, though police officials said that the incumbent Chief Pujith Jayasundara was yet to give in his resignation.

In a statement from the president's media division, it said that President Sirisena had appointed Deputy Inspector General C.D. Wickramaratne as the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Sources from the president's office said that Jayasundara had been sent on compulsory leave over his failure to hand in his resignation, following the Easter Sunday explosions.

Last Wednesday, President Sirisena requested Defense Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and Jayasundara to hand over their resignations over their failure to take adequate measures despite having prior information of a possible terrorist attack.

Fernando resigned last Thursday but police officials said Jayasundara had refused to give in his resignation.

The terror explosions on Easter Sunday, which targeted churches and luxury hotels killed over 250 people and injured more than 500.