UK ready to investigate Sangakkara complaint

UK Home Office was prepared to investigate complaint from Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara.  (File Picture by Mahesh Abeyewardene)

UK Home Office was prepared to investigate complaint from Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara. (File Picture by Mahesh Abeyewardene)

The UK Home Office says it was ready to investigate a claim of rude treatment towards Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara by a border officer at London Heathrow Airport on May 8.

“Back in London last night. Had a horrendous experience with a rude, patronising and extremely discourteous UK immigration officer,” Sangakkara wrote on twitter following the harrowing incident.

Sangakkara, who traveled to the UK for the past 15 years, said it was the first instance he received rude treatment, suggesting it was an isolated incident. He went on to describe all the other border officers present as “lovely” on twitter.

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Yet the twitter comments set-off a firestorm of media reports over the incident.

Today, a UK Home Office spokesman said border officers were expected to carry out duties in a courteous manner and  a probe would be launched once a formal complaint was made by Sangakkara.

 “All Border Force officers are expected to carry out their duties in a professional and courteous manner,” a UK Home Office spokesman told lankareporter.com today.

“If we received a complaint suggesting these standards have not been met, it would be thoroughly investigated as a matter of course,” he added.