By Basil Fernando –
Basil Fernando
On the 12th of October, a young man Gayan Pushpkumar, 21, was arrested by the Pugoda Police Station on mistaken identity. Initially, he was suspected of having robbed some money. However, later, the money had been found in the very house the money was supposed to be stolen from.
In between the suspicion and the actual discovery that the arrested suspect had nothing to do with the crime, the suspect was hit and kicked on his belly by the Officer In Charge of the Pugoda Police Station, the family members have revealed. As a result of these kicks, he felt seriously injured and thereafter he was declared dead. When the family tried to make a complain to the police at the same police station, the statement was not recorded. Instead, the OIC of the police station attempted to come to some settlement on the matter which the family has refused.
Although an inquiry has been ordered by the acting Inspector General of the Police the OIC has not been arrested. In any other case of similar murder with eyewitness and medical evidence, the accused would have been arrested and produced before a court.
The law does not provide any special treatment for policemen or even officers who commit murder however, the actual practice is that such officers who commit murders receive special protection.
Meanwhile, in a sepate incident police officers, kidnapped, Torture And Demaned One Million Rupees as ransom.
The first step that needs to be taken to ensure a genuine inquiry and also to ensure protection for witnesses is for the authorities to arrest the OIC and bring him before the court.
Custodial deaths at police stations remain a common occurrence. Neither the police authorities or the police commission seem to show any interest in preventing such murders. The government of the President Gotabaya Rajpaksa has also not made any policy statement or issues any circular or instructions to being this practice to an end.
The assistant superintendent of the police who is in charge of the area should also be questioned as to what action he has taken to investigate this murder and what instruction he has given to the police to ensure that the suspects are not tortured or murdered.
In another incident police kidnapped, tortured and demanded ransom of Rs. One Million.
Abduction and demands for ransom by some officers of Kudaoye Police Station:
Two young men named Wicramage Shanaka Chathuranga and Wicramage Eishan Chintaka Lakamal both from Ambilitiye were abducted under suspicion of the theft of four buffaloes.
At the police station, they were severely tortured. According to the family, the family members were denied access to the suspects and the police denied having abducted or taken them into custody. Later, on information received by the family, they inquired from the Kudaoye Police and heard the both suspects shouting Buddhu sir please do not torture us. Then, one of the officers according to the family, contacted the father of these two young men and demanded Rs 1 Million for their release saying “well, you have the money, why do not you give Rs 1 million, we can settle this.”
Subsequently, the 2 suspects were brought to the police station and judicial medical officer examined them. They are now being treated for their injuries.
None of the policemen have been arrested for this torture, abduction and attempted extortion.
The family has made complaints to all the relevant authorities. However, they are afraid that the authorities will try to hush up this and will not conduct a proper inquiry.
The OIC of the Kudaoye police station and the ASP of the area should also be held responsible for this torture, abduction and extortion practiced by the police officers under their charge.
The Constitution Has Created An Enabling Environment for Crimes
The constitution of Sri Lanka has created an enabling environment for committing crimes not only by some citizens but also among the law enforcement agencies. It can be said that the government has lost the capacity for crime control. All criminal elements including those in law enforcement agencies are taking advantage of this situation.
Thiru / October 14, 2020
When mass murderers are in power these crimes will only multiply.
Do we remember how many hundreds of Puspakumaras Gota’s squad killed and buried with impunity?
Let alone the genocide of Tamils during and after the war, Sri Lanka is a killing field created by its rulers!
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old codger / October 14, 2020
Eventual, the OIC may be jailed if public pressure mounts. But Gota will pardon him after a few months.
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leelagemalli / October 15, 2020
OLD CODGER,
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Exactly the truth.
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People wanted him, so good riddance !
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This morning I happened to read, a school girl was caught by a road accident while she was walking on the main road. To the eyes of us, we know srilanken bus drivers are only second to their counter parts in Pakistan or the like most corrupted countries. They dont care much about road accidents. No strict punishments even if you commit a day light murder in RAJAPAKSHES led srilanka. However accidents and crimes were much less during the previous govt.
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Noel / October 15, 2020
This is our culture in the country where it is common with most people when they are on the wheel, which reflect our selfish culture and no wonder the politicians are the same which is the product of the people,sadly.
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Mallaiyuran / October 15, 2020
Thiru
Pls don’t celebrate with kiribath and fire crackers the Basil’s hypocrisy. As usual, he is just taking some fire for his smoke out of the burning house. He is not trying to put it off. His calculation and resultant formula is if the bad man is wiped out no job for the hypocritical good man. He too a Sinhala Buddhist Soldier go for Humanitarian rescue mission operation with UN Charter in one hand and the Chemical bomb in the other.
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Eagle Eye / October 15, 2020
Thiru,
Sri Lanka was converted to a killing field by megalomaniac Prabhakaran (Pol Pot of Sri Lanka) and his coolie army LTTE Tamil terrorists whose hobby was killing innocent civilians. They used barbaric methods and slaughtered Sinhalayo for three decades.
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old codger / October 16, 2020
Eagle,
“Sri Lanka was converted to a killing field by megalomaniac Prabhakaran”
So you were not yet born in 1971?
The first terrorists were bogus Sinhalayo like yourself.
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Mallaiyuran / October 16, 2020
Eagle,
” They used barbaric methods “ Do you mean using Parliament act like Citizenship act, Sinhala Only, Standardization, then Education, Justice, Medicine, food, then Narcotics and rape as weapons, and then used mass murder weapons like cluster bombs, Chemical Bombs and Thermaboric bombs, and then then shelled no fire fire zones, are agreed to protect as per UN request?
Eagle, Just for your devotion & veneration to the terrible criminals the Royals, you are making yourself a laughing object. Sorry to your desperation man.
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Ashan / October 14, 2020
The tone is set at the top. If leaders can go unpunished, and not held responsible, for the threats, harassment, and murder, of citizens in the North, rugger players, or journalists who demand accountability, you can expect the same from the lower echelons of our government officials. This poor man paid that price, and his murderer is getting away with the crime. Which Rajapaksa will now step in and see that justice is served?
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Mallaiyuran / October 14, 2020
Hafez Hisbullah is out; Rishard going in. An exchange of Cartoon for Daney. Not that bad. Rishard to face bravely this, unlike in Ranil’s time using 22 Muslim ministers and MPs as body guard of him. Rishard was watching from a Rapist Navy Chopper in the air When the his thugs were beating the Mannar Tamil Judge’s court. He grabbed many of the Indian government donated houses for war refugees. He captured numerous lands in Mullaitivu from Tamils. All these for revenge on LTTE whom he claims forced to leave him his Mannar home, with parents. Rishard and Hakeem went to Geneva and witnessed that they never lived as happy as they were in Old Royal’s government. If Rishard took at least a pants in his shopping bag and wore in Colombo, before he started his jugglaries, and became one of the richest politician in SA, now he should come out of his hiding place, and if he didn’t do any crime, he should go with a lawyer and surrender at Mannar police.
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Ajay / October 15, 2020
The police have no right to even touch anybody, unless they resist arrest or try to escape. Period. Punishment is a matter for the courts. Even the worst criminal has the right to be treated with human dignity. There should be a citizens’ madya prakashaka on national TV every evening reinforcing this message to these uniformed assassins.
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Eagle Eye / October 15, 2020
Ajay,
“Even the worst criminal has the right to be treated with human dignity.”
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Is that the way people were treated when megalomaniac Prabhakaran ruled North and East where Kangaroo Courts and summary executions were order of the day.
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Forget about criminals, even innocent low caste Tamils (Dalits) are not treated with human dignity by Malabar Vellala Tamils in Yapanaya. They are treated as sub-humans.
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old codger / October 16, 2020
Eagle,
“even innocent low caste Tamils (Dalits) are not treated with human dignity by Malabar Vellala Tamils “
Are low-caste Dalit Sinhalayo like yourself allowed to become Malwatta Mahanayakas?
Fix that first, will you?
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Mallaiyuran / October 16, 2020
Is that what the Sinhala Navy man lived in LTTE prison for nine years said in the interviews? One can Sinhala Soldier captured by LTTE and released have said anything you say?
There are over one and a half million refugees complaint remain classified and one day will be summered and added to Lankawe History by Western Students. Live longer Eagle to read that too!
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sonali / October 15, 2020
Immediate investigation called for. The cop responsible should be remanded and behind bars while the investigation is undertaken.
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Sugandh / October 15, 2020
Why is SL’s Law enforcement culture entrenched in lawless, criminal behaviour?
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They seemed protect their own at all cost. No one to question them and ensure accountability.
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Prez Gotabaya has neither the moral compass nor a clean record to call out these criminals in SL’s law enforcement.
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Eagle Eye / October 15, 2020
Sugandh,
Why is SL’s Law enforcement culture entrenched in lawless, criminal behaviour?
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Because of the influence of ‘Paradesis’.
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old codger / October 16, 2020
Eagle,
No, there was no lawlessness before 1948. This is the influence of your 2500 year old Sinhalayo culture.
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Ad / October 15, 2020
Solution would be for people to carryout justice without asking any authority to do so.
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Noel / October 15, 2020
Yes we must otherwise no person will be safe in the country.This is the life in a third world.I thought Gotabaya will put things right?
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Sinhala_Man / October 16, 2020
Ad, I agree with you, and I gave Noel a like because he may be wondering if others can see his decent comment.
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However, this begs the question whether “we” will end up being any fairer taking all instances and circumstances into account. The JVP and the LTTE both tried their hands at it, but you end up with kangaroo courts.
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“We” , the average intelligent person, instinctively sees the injustice in most cases, but not all! There just is no substitute for a system that has objective standards, and operates independently of the illegitimate desires of individuals to subvert it for personal advantage.
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When it is not in place – and that seems to be the case now – there is going to be chaos. The future is unpredictable, not least because we are selfish!
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / October 15, 2020
Police brutality has been endemic in Sri Lanka for many decades regardless of government in power. The powerful do not experience this suffering as they get on their phones and call an influential person when the police arrest them. Therefore it is not in their interest to change the system as it doesn’t affect them. The UN human rights charter clearly establishes that torture, intimidation or even threats are unlawful in the exercise of law enforcement (ie police). However, tribalism prevails and no one cares although the HR commission has attempted to expose regular atrocities on several occasions. Impunity is a key motivating factor that emboldens perpetrators who will eventually be “shape karanerva” by higher-ups..
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Mallaiyuran / October 15, 2020
Dr. Deepika, Radhika, Dhanapala, who all from that circle are dodgers; master, PhD dodgers. Deepeika did her best to protect Rapist Army from criminal investigation and get a position to Rapist Army in UN Peacekeeping. Deepika openly employed two standards to Tamils and Sinhala Buddhist. She wasted her time during Yahapalanaya time asking to release Tamil Political prisoners from the Sinhala Buddhism’s torture chambers. Torturing by the name of religion is the reason Thirunavukkarasar chased the Aryan extremist religions out of Tamil Nadu. Basil good in writing his own Hinduism and Caste while Yahapalanaya time, but he never wrote one line that Ranil will have to declare that Mokan Pieri’s judgments as CJ are invalid and his verdict in torture and killing Niramala Rupan in Anuradhapura hospital, that Tamils have no fundamental rights to sue Rapist Army is also wrong. Basil cannot write his own Mahavamsa and become a fake Mahanama. He has to tell frankly that Nirmalarupan was tortured and killed because he went for hunger strike in Vavuniya prison saying that he had nothing to do with LTTE. At least at his last years, Basil has to be enlightened that any boomerang sent on Tamil will be coming one after other to the heads of Sinhala Intellectuals. Please, please stop being repeatedly portraying as a fine cultured, hypocrite.
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Eagle Eye / October 15, 2020
Mallaiyuran,
Are you referring to IPKF? Have you managed to count the number of Demala women raped by them?
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“Rapist Army”
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Mallaiyuran / October 16, 2020
” Have you managed to count the number of Demala women raped by them? “
Is that your feeling of jealous that your were forced into camps while IPKF enjoyed?
If you or Appe Aanduwa have the counted, can you lodge a case with ICC against IPKF for Ceylon Citizens raped by Indian army?
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Noel / October 15, 2020
How can this happen in a country of 2000 years of history? Can people form a group that fund a private prosecution of that police officer? I suppose the courts will not do their job impartially ?
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Mallaiyuran / October 15, 2020
Dear Friend,
The country has more than 5,000 of civilized people’s history. The Five Ishwarams and Kathirkamam are Indus Valley time temples. Kathirkamam and Veda are telling advanced Homo sapiens dwelt in the country for at least 7,000-11,000 years. Balangoda excavation tells Homo sapiens lived here for very long, long time. You all Brain washed by Mahanama that country started (Like Adam and Eve story) about 2,000 years or so. Because your species came into existence only 2,000 years ago and Homo sapiens are in the world 200,000 years that is why you all are still behaving like the lions in the cave. For the last 100,000 years or so, lion still being only wild lion, has not civilized yet. Stop lying aided with Manama’s 1,500 years old bestiality story. Take that dump brain washing story of you are ruling Ceylon for 2,000 years without any evidence from your head.
Other alternative for Tamils is to leave the 2000 years old Caves Country with you and they have to go on the path of Malaysia – Singapore.
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Eagle Eye / October 15, 2020
Mallaiyuran,
According to my understanding in Hindu religion there is no equivalent to ‘Musawaada Veramanee Sikkapadam Samadiyami’ (I will refrain from telling lies).
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Mallaiyuran / October 16, 2020
Teacher walk around with cane only if the boys are rowdy! Any surprise on that ? Sinhala Buddhism needs lot more than that to tame Rapist Army and people like you.
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Stanley / October 17, 2020
Mallaiyuran terrorists like you need more Sri Lankan websites like this to post your hatred because nobody else would allow it. What have you achieved after 72 years?
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Stanley / October 15, 2020
..and during those centuries of pre-Mahanama civilisation nothing like this ever happened. In fact they were so civilised that they were like today’s Western secular republics with equal rights for women and gays. What a ‘king idiot.
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sonali / October 15, 2020
The fact a man has died because of this OIC is merely the tip of the iceberg. This sadist must be responsible for the assault and injury of hundreds of civilians. We cannot allow such horrors if we call ourselves a civilized nation.
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Mallaiyuran / October 16, 2020
The fact a man has died because of this OIC is merely the tip of the iceberg.
Solani,
So write to UNHRC to proceed on the War Crime Investigation.
Thanks
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Mallaiyuran / October 16, 2020
Vanni Local Council refused to pass a SLMC’s resolution to oppose Rishard’s arrest. Members said it is a matter for court as there is an investigation on process. SLMC’s argument that minorities are targeted is not recognized, probably because for last 15 years including, during the accused crime time, Rishard was very powerful thuggish minister. His violent brutality is well knows around Vanni. One time Rishard had grappled 40 SOE under him that was even more than Sinhala Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinge’s. In the last government, when Rishard was about be arrested, the said minority’s 22 powerful ministers and MP brought the Muslim Sinhala government to standstill and basically that toppled the government splitting Vaalaiththodam from Ranil.
The current accusation of government is not something really against Rishard. Only thing about he is not voting for government and take again 40 SOE with him, a long expected change in the political Lankawe. If he vote for government, this time too he will be given addition buses, but even Choppers to transports voters illegally. That was Rishard’s history when he was minister in Old Royal Government.
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