According to Sri Lankan police, employees of supermarkets and retail establishments are not permitted to physically harm theft suspects.
The personnel of supermarkets and retail establishments have been asked by police spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa to turn over such suspects to the closest police station.
He said that while the police are on the scene looking into the theft of items, the personnel cannot physically harm suspects in theft.
SSP Thalduwa recommended that Managers of supermarkets inform their personnel of the fact that people cannot enforce the law on their own.
The police spokesman made the comments in response to video footage that recently went viral on social media showing employees of a well-known supermarket chain beating up a lady on Cotta Road, Borella for possessing stolen goods.
