Senior Police officer arrested over Rambukkana killing

AFP: A top Sri Lankan Police officer was arrested yesterday after ordering his subordinates to fire on anti-Government protesters, in clashes that left one man dead and nearly 30 others wounded.

Last week’s demonstration in the town of Rambukkana was one of many around the country protesting a rise in fuel prices in the island nation, which is suffering through a crippling economic crisis.

Police used tear gas and live rounds to disperse the crowd, which had blockaded a busy highway and railway line linking the capital Colombo with the central city of Kandy.

Senior Superintendent K.B. Keerthiratne was taken into custody on a murder warrant over the incident, during which a 42-year-old father of two was shot dead.

“The magistrate held that the officer was responsible for giving illegal orders to fire live ammunition,” a court official told AFP.

“Four constables who fired at the crowd are also being arrested.” Police had initially maintained that the crowd attempted to torch a fuel tanker and officers fired to prevent a bigger calamity. But the presiding magistrate ruled that evidence presented to the court showed the shooting took place after the demonstration had been brought under control.

Sri Lanka has seen weeks of protests over rising living costs and acute shortages of food, fuel and other essentials.