Dr. Mahinda Balasuriya (18 June 1953 – 29 April 2021) was the 32nd Inspector General of the Sri Lanka Police (IGP) (2009–2011). Balasuriya was educated at

Ananda College ''Appamādo Amathapadan'' (Buddhist quote from the Apramada Vagga in the Dhammapada) , motto_translation = Heedfulness, Punctuality leads to Nirvana , location = P De S Kularatne Mawatha , city = Colom ...

Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...

, before obtaining a BSc. in Chemistry and a M.Phil at the

University of Peradeniya The University of Peradeniya ( si, පේරාදෙණිය විශ්වවිද්‍යාලය, ta, பேராதனைப் பல்கலைக்கழகம்) is a Public research university, public university in Sri Lanka ...

. Balasuriya joined the

Police Department The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and ...

on 1 March 1978 as a Probationary Assistant Superintendent of Police, and has held a number of key posts, including those of Senior DIG, Range I and Range III. Balasuriya held the posts of Senior DIG Admin, Ops Command, Transport and Communication and Welfare at the Police Headquarters and was also the pioneer in introducing the 119 Police Emergency Service in Sri Lanka. He also supervised police coverage of the North and East for three years, and was the Special Task Force (STF) Senior DIG in operations against the LTTE. On 3 November 2009 he was appointed the Inspector General of Police, succeeding

Jayantha Wickramarathne Jayantha Wickramarathne was the 31st Sri Lankan Inspector-General of Police. Educated at Thurstan College, Colombo Wickramarathne gained a second class honours degree in Public Administration at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and later j ...

. In 2010 Balasuriya received a

PhD PHD or PhD may refer to: * Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification Entertainment * '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series * ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic * Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group ** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...

from the

Saint Petersburg State University Saint Petersburg State University (SPBU; russian: Санкт-Петербургский государственный университет) is a public research university in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in 1724 by a decree of Peter the G ...

in Russia, for his doctorate on terrorism in Sri Lanka and subject of national security. He subsequently published his doctorate in an abridged, revised form, ''The Rise and Fall of the LTTE''. On 1 June 2011 Balasuriya resigned as Inspector General of Police following the fatal suppression of a protest by police in the Katunayake Free Trade Zone. It was later reported that Balasuriya had retired, two years before his term was due to expire. In July that year he was appointed the country's ambassador to Brazil. He then served as the ambassador in the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia (The Middle East). It is located at th ...

, before being appointed the Secretary to the Ministry of Law and Order in October 2014. In July 2016 he was questioned by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in connection with the January 2009 murder of journalist

Lasantha Wickrematunge Lasantha Manilal Wickrematunge ( si, ලසන්ත වික්‍රමතුංග, ta, லசந்த விக்கிரமதுங்க; 5 April 1958 – 8 January 2009) was a high-profile Sri Lankan journalist, politician, br ...

and allegations that former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa ordered the assassination. In November 2016 he appeared before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC), in respect of providing security for

National Freedom Front The Jathika Nidahas Peramuna (JNP) or ''National Freedom Front'' (NFF) is a political party in Sri Lanka was formed by the ten JVP parliamentarians led by Wimal Weerawansa, the breakaway group of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or JVP, started their pol ...

members of parliament during his tenure.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balasuiriya, Mahinda Sri Lankan Inspectors General of Police Ambassadors of Sri Lanka to Brazil Ambassadors of Sri Lanka to the United Arab Emirates 2021 deaths 1953 births Saint Petersburg State University alumni Alumni of the University of Peradeniya Alumni of Ananda College