In a surprising turn of events, a special security plan devised to bolster safety measures at the Bandaranaike International Airport, specifically aimed at apprehending criminals entering and leaving the country, has been hastily abandoned after just eight hours of implementation.

This security strategy placed significant emphasis on streamlining operations at the Immigration and Emigration Counters. Concerns had arisen due to suspicions that certain immigration officers were assisting underworld figures in leaving the country without detection.

The plan was initially put into action following extensive consultations with National Security Advisor to the President, Sagala Ratnayake. However, it has come to light that this initiative was suddenly discontinued, purportedly due to "so-called orders from the top."

The abrupt abandonment of this security measure has raised questions regarding the effectiveness of airport security measures and their impact on curbing criminal activities related to international travel.