A police station in Jaffna has been surrounded by military forces who are demanding the release of Sri Lankan military soldiers recently arrested for stealing materials belonging to locally owned businesses.

Tensions around the police station in Chavakacheri Jaffna are rising after it was surrounded by military personnel demanding the release of the detained soldiers this evening.

The military soldiers, who are attached to Kopai military camp, were arrested after being caught cutting and stealing metals used to support the billboards of local businesses. Their arrests took place amidst several complaints from locals and business that the military soldiers were stealing their raw material.

After being arrested by local police, the 7 soldiers threatened the police to stop their inquiry. The police chief for the local station refused to release them  and informed the military commander of the Kopai military camp that legal action would be taken against the soldiers found responsible for theft.

Following the police chief’s statement, the police office detaining the soldiers in Jaffna received several phone calls from military officials demanding the release of the soldiers who were caught stealing materials from the locals.

The police station is situated on the A9 road in between Chavacheri and Navatkuli, where the soldiers were initially arrested for the theft learns Tamil Guardian.