Jaffna mayhem: Action will be taken against cops if found guilty – John 

By Chaminda Silva-May 24, 2015

Minister of Public Order and Christian Affairs, John Amaratunga, has called for a report from the IGP on the conduct of police over the gang-rape and murder of a 17-year-old schoolgirl, which led to the biggest public demonstration recorded in Jaffna in recent times.

The IGP has already transferred several police personnel including the Senior Superintendent of Police of the division for their failure to prevent the outbreak of violence while police had taken actions to arrest the suspects responsible for the rape and murder. The protestors attacked the police and Jaffna Magistrate court on May 20.

Reports indicated that the area police had literally joked when the disappearance of the girl was reported to them and allegedly telling her family that she may have eloped with her boyfriend. The following morning when the family found the body, it had taken Kayts police several hours to get there. 

A top official has been accused of releasing a key suspect, a citizen of Switzerland after he was handed over to the police. He was later arrested in Wellawatte.

Two special teams of CID had been sent to Jaffna to probe the incidents and their reports were expected to be handed over to the IGP today, police headquarters sources said. 

The Jaffna Magistrate on June 21 remanded 121 suspects till June 3 over the violence which erupted in Jaffna the previous day.

The police arrested over 100 protesters following the violence in which marauding protestors attacked the Jaffna Magistrate Court and the police with stones. The police also took into custody 60 motorcycles, 43 bicycles and five trishaws.

 The protestors demanded immediate punishment for the suspects who were residents of Punguduthivu.

Three of the suspects’ houses in Punguduthivu were burnt down by angry villagers following the incident.