37-year-old dies in police custody

• Resident of Veyangoda dies due to use of force by police during an operation 
• One police constable injured and receiving treatment at Gampaha Hospital 
• Police says investigation launched into death  

By Asiri Fernando

A thirty-seven-year-old suspect has died while in the custody of the Western Province Crimes Division in the early hours of yesterday morning, due to “use of force” by the Police, Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said. 

The deceased, Nishantha Kumarasiri (37), a resident of Veyangoda, was arrested by Police on charges of attempted murder in relation to a violent incident which occurred on 19 December in Maligathanna, Veyangoda. 

“However, on Monday, the Western Province Crimes Division has conducted a special operation along with the suspect. The operation was conducted in Halgampitiya area. However, the suspect had died in an incident in Halgampitiya area this morning around 3:30 a.m. when the Police used force,” DIG Rohana said. The statement did not disclose the nature of force used by the police or why the use of lethal force was employed on a suspect in custody.   

“Apart from that, 37-year-old Police Constable Sajeewa Kumara has been injured in the incident and is being treated at Gampaha Hospital” DIG Rohana said, adding that investigations in to the circumstances is being conducted by a senior Police officer and the findings will be submitted to the Attanagalla Magistrate Court.  

The Magistrate Court is expected to hold a Magisterial Inquest in to the custodial death. The remains of the deceased suspect are kept at the Wathupitiwala Hospital. 

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka wrote to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) in the last few months, expressing concern in relation to several recent custodial deaths this year. Custodial deaths and the lack of transparency and accountability surrounding them has been a long-term problem that has plagued the law enforcement and correctional agencies. 

“In certain instances, the authorities have not conducted independent investigations of custodial deaths. In order to prevent a recurrence of these suspicious deaths, there is a need to establish an independent investigation unit within the Police Department, which can immediately investigate custodial deaths. 

“It is also advisable that in such instances the postmortem examination be conducted outside the area in which death occurred, as there have been instances of collusion between medical personnel and culpable police officers,” the HRCSL said in a 2017 report.