Sabaragamuwa Tamil Undergraduate Detained By TID Over A Week

August 18, 2014

Shanthikumar Sudharshan, the first year undergraduate of the Sabaragamuwa University who was victimized by an attack by a group of five masked men few weeks ago, has been held under TID arrest for over a week, deprived of legal assistance and contact with his family.

The Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) Convener Najith Indika told media today that Sudharshan’s parents – residents of Muhamalai, Kilinochchi who remain deeply disturbed by the attack on their son and his sudden arrest afterwards, have been threatened by area politicians and the law enforcement into keeping mum on their son’s plight.

“We have not received any information concerning his wellbeing nor are our lawyers permitted to meet him. He has been detained, without any charges brought against him,” Indika complained adding that they are concerned about his safety.

“We have learnt that the TID is monitoring phone calls that Sudharshan’s parents receive and as a result they have turned their phones off. They have stopped talking to us and are in great fear for their and their son’s life,” Sabaragamuwa University Students Group President, Rasindu Jayasinghe said.

During the media, Indika and Rasindu also spoke about the manner in which Sudharshan was brought to the University by the TID last week, where it was made very clear that his alleged confession, in which he had admitted to inflicting the cut wounds on himself, was obtained under duress.

“The TID upon their arrival managed to find part of a brand new blade near the hotel toilets – a piece of evidence that several police teams and sniffer dogs were not able to uncover for over five days despite the blade lying out there in the open. Upon discovering it, the TID personnel forced Sudharshan to kneel before the blade and hold it and clicked photographs of it,” Rasindu said, relating the events that took place when the TID visited the university premises with Sudharshan.

Thereafter, they he said they had pointed to a pole lying few yards away and had ordered Sudharshan to pose with it in order to take photographs.

Meanwhile, Rasindu also said on August 8 midst the controversy, third year undergraduate Yogarajah was arrested by the TID for downloading images of hospitalized Sudharshan off the internet.

“He was arrested while he was writing for an examination. When the other students inquired about the arrest later from the Samanala Wewa Police, the Police officials had threatened them and obtained all of their NIC numbers and had said it is likely he would not be seen again,” he added.

First-year undergraduate of Sabaragamuwa University and resident of Kilinochchi – Shanthikumar Sudharshan, was found unconscious in the university hostel premises on August 3 with cut wounds all over his body. Although initially the student said he was attacked by a group of five masked men, he confessed to inflicting the wounds on himself after being arrested by the TID on August 9 – a claim that underpinned opinions expressed earlier during the week by Higher Education Minister and the University administration on what expired at the university premises.