The death of a suspect in the Matara jewellery heist while in police custody drew swift condemnation from Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, a Matara District Parliamentarian who tweeted that it was a “brutal murder” yesterday while lawyers and human rights activists slammed the police action as an “extra-judicial” killing.
“The rule of law must prevail even when dealing with criminals,” Minister Samaraweera tweeting last evening after police claimed the suspect had been shot trying to retrieve a hand-grenade from a hiding spot – the same sequence of events used by police personnel to justify multiple deaths in police custody.
The suspect and victim of yesterday’s shooting Chamara Indrajith was one of four suspects who were arrested during a jewellery robbery in Matara town. A gunfight ensued when police officers arrived on the scene while the robbery was taking place, leading to the death of one policeman and injury to two civilians.
An irate Finance Minister tweeted that the tit-for-tat murders were tantamount to a breakdown in the rule of law.
“The brutal murder of a Police Constable on duty cannot be justified by an equally brutal murder of suspect whilst in police custody. This is Yahapalanaya, not Yamapalanaya,” Samaraweera tweeted.
Source : Sunday Observer
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