Different law for Wadduwa police ?
Aug 04, 2016
Police are notoriously ahead of most institutions in Sri Lanka for its infamy. It is very common to see bribery, corruption and human rights violations committed by the police. Within that department, Wadduwa police have earned the notoriety of being regularly in the news for such wrongs. On the 01st of this month, arrogance of the uniform left two youths badly beaten up and tortured. This is about that incident.
On that day, K.D. Theekshana Madhushanka went to Wadduwa police after receiving a message that his 62 year old father was under arrest over a certain incident. While on the way, he told his younger brother K.D. Kavinda Srinath and asked him to join him at the police station. Officers there did not permit Kavinda who was the first to arrive, to see his father in the cell. They had insulted him, grabbed him by the neck and pushed him away. A little while later, Theekshana too, arrived. And, both requested the officers that they be allowed to see their father.
The same officers who grabbed Kavinda by the neck, started by saying he would not be permitted to see the father. It grew into an exchange of words, and the officers abused the two brothers in filth and also threatened them. The duo decided to leave the police station, and as they were nearing its gate, the officers came to them and dragged them back to the station. Taking them to a room, the officers had beaten up the two brothers using rifles and a club. According to what Theekshana and Kavinda say, the attackers were Munasinghe (39144), Soyza (49556), name unknown (1803), SI Perera and two others.
After assaulting them badly, they released Theekshana only, telling him to bring the leave permit of Kavinda, who is a soldier. The elder brother brought the leave permit and his helmet was seized by one officer, saying “Will write that he tried to use it to attack the police.”
Produced before courts on the 02nd, the two brothers were released on bail. They were then hospitalized due to the injuries they have suffered. Kavinda had not been given even a panadol tablet until being produced before courts. Theekshana was discharged on the same day, but Kavinda still remains in hospital.
It is a daily occurrence that persons get arrested over various charges. But, there are laws to govern arrests. However, police or anyone else does not get permission by any law to beat up people. Most policemen believe their uniform permits them to harass people and to demand various privileges. Their habit is to plant fabricated charges.
The other most recent incident happened following the rape and murder of the little girl Seya. Police accused a schoolboy and a youth by the name Dunesh to be responsible and gave information to the media, including a ‘confession’ by Dunesh which they forced out of him by way of assault. However, DNA tests proved they were innocent. Without stopping there, the police again leveled a false drug-offence charge against the schoolboy. Such is the conduct of uniformed thugs among the law-protectors in the police. If law and peace are to prevail, people should have faith in the law. If that is to happen, the law should be enforced against offices who misuse the uniform. The public too, should know that only the judiciary has the powers to decide the limits of the police and to mete out punishment. Also, the judiciary should be aware of its being insulted by the police’s having used a nonexistent power of assaulting people.
Attempts to reach the Wadduwa police and its OIC for a comment were unsuccessful.
