The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has ordered the exhumation of the body of the 26-year-old youth who died while in police custody at the Welikada Police Station recently, to facilitate a fresh postmortem examination by a panel of three specialist doctors.

The directive was issued by Additional Magistrate Kemintha Perera, following a request made by the aggrieved party. The court instructed the Chief Judicial Medical Officer of Colombo to carry out a full and independent postmortem and submit a report.

The youth, who was arrested on April 1, 2025, for allegedly entering a residence in the Nawala area, was reported to have exhibited riotous behavior while in Police custody. He was later admitted to the National Institute of Mental Health in Mulleriyawa, where he died in the early hours of April 2.

Police claimed the fatal injuries were self-inflicted and that the youth was not in a stable mental condition at the time.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has voiced serious concern over the incident. In a statement, BASL President Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya raised alarm over the circumstances surrounding the death and highlighted its broader implications on law enforcement accountability and public confidence in the justice system. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Police has launched an investigation into the death of a 26-year-old while in the Custody of the Vaddukottai Police in Jaffna recently.

The Police said the victim and another suspect were arrested earlier this month over the robbery of Rs. 90,000 in cash and 16 ½ pounds of jewellery from a house.

The suspects were arrested in the Nagakerny area on November 11 and were remanded until November 21 after being produced before the Mallakam Magistrate’s court.

The Police said the victim had suddenly fallen ill while in prison and had been treated after which he had been brought back to the prison, but had fallen ill again and had been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Jaffna Hospital on November 19, after which he had passed away.

An official of the Jaffna prison has filed a complaint with the Jaffna Police on the death of the youth.

The postmortem conducted by the Judicial Medical Officer of the Jaffna Hospital has determined that the youth had died due to kidney failure as a result of injuries sustained by being assaulted.

A team consisting of high-ranking Police officers in the Jaffna Division has launched an investigation into the death of the youth, based on the postmortem report.

The Sri Lanka Police said action will be initiated against the Police officers who are found to have committed a crime in this regard, while disciplinary action will also be taken against those found guilty. (NewsWire)

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A 25-year-old suspect has reportedly died as a result of injuries caused due to allegedly being severely assaulted by the Vaddukkotai Police in Jaffna, according to Veerakesari newspaper.

The postmortem report has confirmed that the youth had died due to damage caused to his kidney as a result of the alleged assault, the news report added.

The youth was arrested along with another suspect by the Vaddukottai Police on November 08 over a robbery but had not been remanded or released four days since his arrest. 

The mother of the victim had filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission Office in Jaffna after which the two suspects had been produced before the Mallakam Magistrate’s Court on November 10.

However, following objections by the Police, the suspects were kept in Police custody. 

After being placed in the Jaffna prison, the victim had been admitted to the Jaffna Hospital by prison officials, but he succumbed to injuries on Monday (Nov 20).

The victim has been identified as 25-year-old Nagarasa Alex from Kalaivani Road in Sindhankerny, Jaffna. (NewsWire)

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Seven Policemen who were arrested over the custodial death of a Vocational Training Officer in January have been remanded until 23 June by the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court.

Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa stated that among those arrested are a Police Sub-Inspector, a Sargent and five constables attached to the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB).

The Assistant Manager at the Vocational Training Authority in Narahenpita had been taken away by a group of Police officers while returning to work from a restaurant at lunchtime on 10th January 2023.

At the time, it was revealed that he had been taken away by PNB officials with regard to an investigation into a drug-related case.

The victim was reported dead with the authorities claiming that he had attempted to attack a Police officer with a broken glass bottle during interrogation. 

However, the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (6) ruled that the cause of death of the victim was Blunt Force Trauma.

While delivering the order on the postmortem, the Maligakanda Magistrate ordered the immediate arrest of those responsible for the death.

Following the court verdict, the seven PNB officers involved in the incident were apprehended today. (NewsWire)

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