Priyantha Weerasooriya
Priyantha Weerasooriya | |
|---|---|
| 37th Inspector General of Police | |
| Assumed office 13 August 2025 (Acting: 27 September 2024 – 13 August 2025) | |
| Appointed by | Anura Kumara Dissanayake |
| Preceded by | Deshabandu Tennakoon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Weerasooriya Liyanaarachchige Saman Priyantha Weerasooriya 9 February 1969 Dodangoda, Sri Lanka |
| Education | |
| Profession | Police officer |
Weerasooriya Liyanaarachchige Saman Priyantha Weerasooriya (born 9 February 1969) is a Sri Lankan police officer currently serving as the 37th Inspector General of Police since 13 August 2025. He had previously served in an acting capacity since 27 September 2024.[1] Weerasooriya is the first officer in Sri Lanka to rise from the rank of police constable to its highest position.[2]
Career
Weerasooriya joined the police in 1988 as a constable,[3][2] serving in the police special task force and traffic and crime divisions between 1988 and 1992.[4] He was promoted to sub inspector in 1992, working in the Maradana, Vavuniya and Kompanjaveediya police stations.[4]
After graduating with a law degree from the University of Colombo in 1997, he was promoted to assistant superintendent of police in 1999.[5] In 2007 he was promoted to the position of superintendent of police, serving as the director of legal and logistics.[3][6]
Weerasooriya has participated in United Nations peacekeeping missions in East Timor and Haiti.[3] In 2015 he completed his Masters in Law from General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University. He was promoted to the post of deputy inspector general of police, serving as the chief of Police Logistics Division from 2016 to 2020.[4] Weerasooriya was promoted to the position of senior deputy inspector general in 2020, serving in the Strategic Management, Crime and Traffic Division.[4]
Weerasooriya was serving as the senior deputy inspector general in charge of the North Central Province before he was appointed as acting inspector general of police on 27 September 2024 by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.[7] He replaces Deshabandu Tennakoon, who was suspended from the position on 24 July 2024.[8][9]
Inspector general of police
On 11 August 2025, Weerasooriya was nominated by President Dissanayake for appointment as the next inspector general of police following Tennakon's removal from office.[10][11] His nomination was ratified by the Constitutional Council on 12 August.[12] He was appointed as the 37th Inspector General of Police on 13 August.[1][13]
References
- ^ a b "Priyantha Weerasooriya appointed as Sri Lanka's 37th IGP". Ada Derana. 13 August 2025. Archived from the original on 13 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ a b "From Constable to IGP : Who is Priyantha Weerasooriya?". Newswire. 12 August 2025. Archived from the original on 13 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
- ^ a b c "Priyantha Weerasooriya appointed Acting IGP". Adaderana. 27 September 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
- ^ a b c d "කොස්තාපල් නිලයේ සිට වැඩබලන පොලිස්පති දක්වා පැමිණි ප්රියන්ත වීරසූරිය කවුද?".
- ^ "Priyantha Weerasooriya Appointed Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP)". Ceylon Daily News. 27 September 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
- ^ "Eighteen Police officers including 8 Senior DIGs and CID Director transferred - Breaking News | Daily Mirror".
- ^ "Police : New Acting IGP appointed". Newswire. 27 September 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
- ^ Abayasinghe, Shiromi; Sriyantha, Rakshana (26 February 2024). "The New Inspector General of Police is Deshabandu Tennakoon". Dinamina (in Sinhala). Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ^ "Senior DIG Priyantha Weerasooriya appointed as new Acting IGP".
- ^ "Resolution for removal of Deshabandu from IGP post passed in Parliament". Ada Derana. 5 August 2025. Archived from the original on 5 August 2025. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
- ^ "Constitutional Council to Decide on New IGP Tomorrow". News First. 11 August 2025. Archived from the original on 11 August 2025. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
- ^ "Constitutional Council approves Priyantha Weerasooriya as IGP". Ada Derana. 12 August 2025. Archived from the original on 12 August 2025. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
- ^ "Priyantha Weerasuriya Appointed as New IGP". President's Media Division. 13 August 2025. Archived from the original on 13 August 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.