|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Friday, 14 November 2003 |
 |
|
 |
News | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
by Sandasen Marasinghe Father of Samarathunga Liyana Arachchige Kulathunga (29) of Nivitigala who died on Wednesday, while he was in Police custody said that his son was badly beaten by Police in front of him on Sunday. He revealed it at the inquest held before the Additional City Coroner M. Ashroff Rumy, yesterday. S. A. L. Karunaratne (66) father of the victim further observed that he heard his son shouting not to kill him, around 6.30 p.m. on Sunday in front of their residence in Udukaravita, Nivitigala. "I saw two Policemen beating my son on his head and neck. Thereafter they bent him and hit him on his back" said the father of Kulathunga. "When I attempted to save him a Policeman beat me on my shoulder and I ran away in fear." Witness further said that his son was taken into custody. Around 2.30 a.m., On the same day Police informed them that Kulathunga was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital after sustaining injuries after jumping off the Police Jeep. His son a mine labourer even did not know how to open the door of a jeep. S. A. L. Ranasinghe, elder brother of the victim submitted that about 15 villagers saw the Police beating his brother including him. The victim and his brother were drunk so that he did not go to save his brother fearing that the police would assault him. Police Sergeant G. W. Siripala said that he was with two other policemen at the time when they took the suspect into custody as he behaved in an indecent manner. While he was being accompanied for a medical test in the Police jeep PC Sugath who was with the suspect in the rear of the vehicle said that the suspect jumped out of the vehicle near the Yakdehiwatta Junction. He lay on the road with head injuries. When the Additional City Coroner inquired whereabout in the jeep did the suspect sit the police sergeant said near the rear door of the vehicle. Then the Additional City Coroner inquired as to whether he did not know that it was not a safe place for a suspected to be kept the Sergeant answered it was not safe to keep a suspect near the driver of the jeep. The City Coroner remarked, it seemed that the Police had behaved in a manner creating an opportunity for the suspect to escape. AJMO Dr. Mrs D. I. L. Ratnayake noted in the post-mortem that she was of the opinion that the cause of death was due to cranio cerebral injuries. Evidence was led by IP Danasekara Muthukuda. Further inquiry was put off for December 10. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
