BARBARIANS AT WORK! CRUSHED AT THE PRIME OF HIS YOUTH
An 18- year-old youth, a resident of Akurukaduwa, Meegahakiwula , who had been ar rested by the Kandeketiya Police for alleged excavation of a treasure trove in a forest reserve at Bogahapathana in Meegahakiwula, had died after admission to the Badulla General Hospital. He had been ill when he was on remand according to a court order. When his body was taken to his house on May 10, his mother, Kanda Udage Mallika wept and poured out her heart-rending story:
“Aney, Amme this is the person who assaulted me mercilessly. My body hurts.” The youth had cried profusely to his mother, pointing his finger to a policeman.
“My god, my son who was hail and hearty, had been assaulted by the police and killed” said his mother.
The deceased was a youth called Paruma hewa Sandun Malinga (18) a resident of Cosmo Farm in Akurukaduwa, in Meegahakiwula.
At the time that the body of this youth was taken to his house after the autopsy at Badulla Hospital, a large number of people participated along with the police officers of Kandeketiya Police. The Meegahakiwula Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman, Jayantha Dissanayaka and Councillor D.M.Sumanapala also partici-
The youth’s mother who expressed her views further said, “My son had just stopped schooling. He went with three relatives to buy a three wheeler with a sum of Rs.75, 000/= in his possession. I was not in doubteventhoughtheydelayed to return home as there were five companions including himself. After we had gone to sleep, we received a telephone call about his arrest by the Police. When we arrived at the police station, we found him in the police cell. He said the Policed had assaulted him and that his chest was hurting. We informed the police constable about this and returned home.” When we visited him on the following day, my son showed us the police constable who had assaultedhim.”
The father of the deceased youth said, “When we intimated them of the condition of my son, they promised to take him to the hospital. However, we saw him again in the Passara court. My son had then told his mother tomassage hischestas he had severe pain. Later, he was taken to the Badulla Prison.Thatisallweknow.”
He further said, “We were told that our son had died in the Prison although they said the death had taken place in hospital. I allege this death had taken place in the Police. There are assault marks on his body. We are innocent people from Matara. I request the court to takemyson’sbodytoMataraas I do even like to bury him in this area. The people who live in this area are very good and they helped us in whichever waytheycould.”
The people of the area had displayed a banner “Death caused by an uncivilised police attack,” opposite their home.
Meanwhile, five police offic- ers of the Kandeketiya Police were arrested in connection with the death following the autopsy report which suggested that the suspect could have beenassaulted.
The Badulla JMO had also recommended medical examination of five other suspects taken into custody along with the deceased, for injuries.
Police said, officers of Kandeketiya police station, a sub- inspector, three constables, a police assistant and a member of the cvil defence force were among those arrested. The suspects were produced before the Passara Acting Magistrate Maheshika Priyadarshana De Silva, who remandedthemtillMay21.