A Request of inquiry against Rajangana Police

A human rights group has written to IGP Requesting legal action against the policemen attached to Rajangana police for continuous threats, intimidations, cruel inhuman degrading treatment and torture against the residents.

by Chitral Perera

(June 30, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) “The police in Rajangana acts like terrorists and intimidate the residents of the area. They torture the arrested people. They also fabricate charges and remand people whom they have taken to custody.

Up to now there are four persons in Anuradapura remand prison who were inhumanly tortured by Rajangana police. They disclosed before the magistrate about torture and they were referred to the Judicial Medical Officer of Anuradhapura.

This same police referred these four people before the main doctor of Rajangana hospital after torture and with his support filled the false judicial medical forms.

Suba Hewage Samantha Bandara is 23 year old youth who resides at 11 Rajangana yaya. He is a disabled war hero after a jonny butta bomb blast which caused leg injury when he was engaging in the humanitarian mission. He was removed from active work and engages in Yakkala Apparel service.

On 08 May 2010 several policemen including policeman Jayasundera who were drunken and in civil clothes stormed to the house of Samantha Bandara and assaulted him inhumanly. These policemen blamed his mother using abusive language and also hit the dog of the house and took him to the police station. At the police station he was beaten again. He was taken behind the police station and hanged him on a tree called “kohoba” and assaulted. It was mentioned that the assault directed to his injured foot.

He was produced before the courts after three days on 11.05.2010. He is now in ward number 14 of Anuradhapura hospital.

They also tortured the residents of Rajanganaya named Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Nishantha Dissanayake, the resident of Vavuniya, Nelukuluma , 27 year old named Manikkawasagre Thawadanwa and the resident of Thambuththegama, Rajina junction named Mangala Prabath in the same manner and remanded.

Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Nishantha Dissanayake was arrested on 21.04.2010 but the police who refused his arrest and took detention orders on 30.04.2010 and detained him until 27.05. 2010. He was produced before the Magistrate in Nochchiyagama. He told about the torture at the courts. He was beaten hang on a tree. As result of the assault his right hand was broken. Up to day his hand is not active.

It states that he is taken to the Anuradhapura hospital for treatments by the prison. He takes his food using left arm while in prison. His wife was not allowed to see him. So she complained to the Human Rights Commission in Anuradhapura on 28.04.2010. As a result of this they had taken detention orders and produced him before the courts on fabrication of charges and remanded him as an attempt to hide torture.

A 27 year old Mannikawasagar Thawadan who resides at Vavunia, Nelukkuluma was arrested on 21.04. 2010. He was also tortured, had taken detention orders and remanded him like the same manner they did to Nishantha Dissanayake.

Mangala Prabath who resides at Thambuththegama, Rajina junction was also hanged and assaulted. As a result of this he injured critically. He is now in Anuradhapura remand prison. He too told the magistrate of Thabuththegama about the police assault.

We urge to take legal and disciplinary actions against the policemen attached to Rajangana police who intimidating and engaging in constrictive way of crimes and request to ensure the safety of the people in Rajanganaya.”

( The writer, Secretary of Janasansadaya)