Police Beatings ( True Prisons Part 09 )

by Harshi C. Perera

(November 30, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Her name is Irangani. She is a 45 year-old mother with three children, and she has been in the women’s ward at Welikada prison for more than 16 months. Her charge is selling heroine.

On July 3, 2009, Irangani was arrested by the Wellawatta police after they launched a raid in Logate Lane in Colombo 10. Irangani was there to help rescue her sister-in-law who was engaging in the drug business. The police searched the sister-in-law’s house and arrested both her Irangani and the sister-in-law. Irangani’s two sons protested against the arrest but the police refused to respond.

The police didn’t find anything in the Irangani’s house. Although some drugs were found in the house of her sister-in-law. The police fabricated charges of the selling of and possession of 21mg of drugs against Irangani. The police also charged her sister-in-law with selling two packets of drugs. Irangani’s sister in law was remanded for 14 days, paid a fine and released.

At the police station the policemen forced Irangani to put finger prints on the envelope (lakada). She refused to comply, so the policemen assaulted her hands and her back using a pole. She took medicine from the prison dispensary after she was remanded.

Still she suffers from headaches as a result of the assault.

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