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Murder of campus student : four more undergrads taken in

by Sarath Malalasekera

Four more undergraduates taken into custody in connection with the killing of third year Management Undergraduate Samantha Vithana were yesterday produced before an identification parade held by the Colombo Additional Magistrate Ajith Masinghe. They are H.L. Cahandra Bandara, Susantha Dias Liyanage, A.M. Gamini Jayawickrema and B.L. Rasik Manoj Liyanage.

One prosecution witness out of twenty three witnesses identified Chandra Bandara as the student who took one of the students in the opposite camp to a room in the campus premises.

Prosecution witnesses yesterday failed to identify the other suspects produced before the parade.

Two more suspects, Lakmal Sanjeewa Peiris and Hemal Lanka Priyadharshana Gammampila, identified at the parade held by the Colombo Additional Magistrate Masinghe. Suspect Gammampila was identified by three prosecution witnesses. Prosecution witnesses failed to identify Sanjeewa Peiris.

Fourteen suspects already had been identified by several, prosecution witnesses at the identification parade held by the Gangodavila Magistrate and Additional District Judge Pradeep Hettiarachchi.

Earlier J.A. Wasantha Chandra Kumar and M.H. Saman Shantha Prasaad the two students who were alleged to have been in the mob which attacked the students were identified. They had possessed wooden poles, the witnesses told the Magistrate.

Earlier four student suspects Nalaka Liyanagama, Rajaguru Mudiyanselage Indika Roshan Jayasena, Dilruksha Rupasena and Nushantha Jayasena were identified at the parade. Some of the suspects identified by the prosecution witnesses were members of the ragging team.

Two suspects identified earlier were members of the Progressive Front which holds the power of the University's main student council. The student council is a branch of the Inter University Student's Fedaration (IUSF) backed by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).

The Mirihana Police who is conducting investigations assisted by the CID have arrested 42 suspects in connection with the killing of Samantha.

Samantha was brutally attacked on the campus premises by several undergraduates on November 7. Samantha was a student who resisted ragging in the university.

Tight security prevailed in and around the court premises during the court proceedings in connection with the parade.

Haripriya Jayasundera appeared for the State.

Ms. Suneetha Nanayakkara, Wasantha Ranasinghe, Janak Dias, Keerthi Udawatte, Pathmakumara Seneratne, Ms. Udeni Seneviratne and Ms. Geetha Madalawatte appeared for some of the suspects yesterday. Western Province (South) and Crimes and Intelligence DIG Sirisena Herath directing investigations conducted by Senior SP Raja Weerakoon and SP Cecil Perera.

Nugegoda SP Mahesh Samaradivakara, ASP Nihal Samaraweera, Chief Inspector K.A. Premadasa, HQI, Mirihana, Inspector Ajith Dahanayake, OIC CDB, Mirihana and SIs H.H. Somaratne, S. Tillakeratne and Wasantha Udawatte of the Mirihana Police are assiting in the investigations. The identification parade will continue on Monday, December 9, before the Colombo Additional Magistrate Ajith Masinghe.

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