A man from Deraniyagala has alleged that he was assaulted by officers of the Borella Police after being mistaken for a suspect linked to a recent shooting incident in Kohuwala, Ada Derana reported.
The complainant, who operates a small eatery in the Deraniyagala area, said the incident occurred after police circulated a hand-drawn sketch of a suspect wanted in connection with a shooting reported on December 30 in the Kohuwala Bodhiyawatta area, in which a 16-year-old girl was injured.
According to the complainant, identified as Lahiru Madhusankha, he had travelled to Colombo on January 1 to purchase goods for his business and stayed overnight at his wife’s residence along Baseline Road.
He alleged that police officers arrived at the house the following morning and that he later went voluntarily to the Borella Police station to provide a statement. However, he claims officers showed him the suspect sketch and assaulted him, believing he resembled the suspect.
The man said he was detained at the Borella Police station for nearly two days before being released on January 3.
When contacted regarding the allegations, the Officer-in-Charge of Borella Police said the individual had been taken into custody on suspicion and later released on police bail after his details were verified.
The OIC denied allegations that the man had been assaulted while in police custody. (Newswire)