The JVP Member for Western Provincial Council Mahinda Jayasinghe holding a press conference in connection with the inhuman police assault on the JVP Councilor in the Western Provincial Council Dr. Ashoka Ranwala said certain media is publishing wrong information regarding the incident.
Mr. Jayasinghe said, “The incident occurred between 9.00 p.m. and 9.30 p.m. on the 4th. It involved a 34-year-old youth from Heyyanthuduwa area. The youth had been brought to the police station on the 3rd at about 2.00 a.m. in connection with some incident. Comrade Palitha Wijeratna had informed Comrade Ranwala who is the Member for the area regarding the arrest on the 3rd morning. He had asked Comrade Wijeratna to go to the police station with a lawyer and find out details. However, this has not taken place properly.
At about 6.00 p.m. the youths father had met Comrade Ranwala and complained that the son was still in the police station. The father had been a member of the UNP for 14 years. Certain media is trying to create a viewpoint that Comrade Ranwala was trying to get a JVP member released.
No action had been taken regarding the youth until evening on the 3rd. On the 4th morning, information is spread that the youth had been inhumanly assaulted inside the police station. As Comrade Ranwala is the Provincial Councilor for the area he goes to the policed station to meet the OIC. As the OIC was not on duty he meets Linton Silva, the OIC of the crimes section.
As the youth was suffering from fewer and legs were injured Comrade Ranwala had asked the police to hospitalize him and then take legal action against him. This was between 10.00 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. on the 4th. The police had said they would take measures to hospitalize him at 12.00 noon. However, Comrade Ranwala and youth’s father had requested police to hospitalize as soon as possible. Then the OIC of the crimes section had said the youth would be hospitalized within half an hour and had asked them to come in the evening.
After the JVP rally held at Kribathgoda Comrade Ranwala comes to know the youth had been taken before Mahara Court. He comes to know that the police had misled the court stating the youth was arrested in the morning on the 4th and while arresting he fell from a hill and injured himself and got him remanded for 7 days.
As such, Comrade Ranwala meets the OIC of the crimes section on the 4th and asks him why the youth was not hospitalized as had been promised, why he was kept in the police station for more than 24 hours and the legality of the move. The OIC of the crime section angered by this assaults Comrade Ranwala. He tries to drag Comrade Ranwala through the back door of the police station and tries to get Comrade Ranwala to strip and assault him. Police personnel also attempt to assault Comrade Palitha who had gone to the police station with Comrade Ranwala. He flees the police station and informs the incident to other comrades. Later the OIC crimes had put Comrade into the cell and had come back in civil clothes and assaults Comrade Ranwala.
When I heard the incident I went to the police station with several comrades and asked the right to assault a person. The statements that we attempted to release Comrade Ranwala is not true. Police personnel videoed us at the time. I challenge them to show the videos. Also, the OIC said he didn’t know anything about Comrade Ranwala.”
Mr. Mahinda Jayasinghe said there is no truth in statements that states attempt were made to forcibly take the youth from the police station as he had been remanded at the time. He said they would give all the assistance to carry out an impartial inquiry into the incident.
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