Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for urgent government accountability in Parliament over the fatal shooting of the prominent tusker known as Kavantissa.
Raising the issue under Standing Order 27 (2) yesterday,Premadasa pressed ministers to confirm whether the death is officially classified as a killing and called for a full progress report on the police investigation.
The Opposition Leader urged the government to enlist a team of foreign experts to investigate the tragedy alongside local investigators.
He stated that although veterinary professors from the University of Peradeniya performed the initial post-mortem examination, an independent international inquiry into both the cause of death and the medical care provided to the elephant remains necessary.
Referring to earlier incidents where environmentalists reported warning shots months before the fatal shooting, Premadasa questioned what security protocols had been deployed to protect the animal.
He also requested that all post-mortem findings and judicial orders regarding the final disposal of the carcass be presented to court and made public.
To ensure long-term protection for legally safeguarded wildlife, he proposed setting up a specialized Elephant Conservation Task Force utilizing the expertise of experienced wildlife officers, alongside establishing a dedicated animal hospital, promising full opposition support for such initiatives.
Furthermore, he expressed gratitude for recent arrests made by state raid units, while cautioning authorities against taking punitive administrative action against frontline officers involved in the enforcement operation.
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