Police have arrested five people, including a lorry driver, after an investigation revealed that textbooks intended for Eastern Province schools were diverted and sold to waste paper collectors instead of being delivered.

An investigation by Thalangama Police has uncovered the diversion of educational materials valued at over Rs. 800,000. The textbooks, which were meant for distribution to schools in the Eastern Province, were allegedly sold through a chain of intermediaries before ending up at a waste paper collection center.

According to police findings, the driver responsible for transporting the materials sold the consignment to an individual in Alawwa. That person subsequently resold the stock to a waste paper collection center in Narammala, from where it was transported to Wattala. The investigation has led to the arrest of five suspects, including the driver who was entrusted with the delivery. These individuals were scheduled to appear in court following their arrest.

The Department of Educational Publications had handed over the consignment on May 24, which contained Grade 1 third-term Tamil-language activity books and textbooks intended for the Eastern Province. Secretary of the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa confirmed that documentation for the handover had been completed and submitted by the suspect himself. In response to the incident, the Ministry has decided to withhold payment to the contracting company responsible for the transportation service.

The Ministry of Education has initiated a formal investigation into the matter. Officials have not yet released further details regarding the circumstances that allowed the diversion to occur or the full extent of involvement by each of the five arrested individuals.