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Killing of Jaffna students: Five policemen remanded
View(s):Five policemen allegedly involved in the incident where two Jaffna University students were killed, were remanded until November 4 by Jaffna Magistrates’ Court yesterday as security was tightened in the Northern peninsula.
Security measures were stepped up around Jaffna town particularly the court complex and police headquarters to prevent any unrest or violence.
Jaffna Magistrate S. Satheeswaran instructed the police to produce the suspects in the courts tomorrow though they have been remanded in Anuradhapura Prisons till November 4.
Criminal Investigations Department (CID) detectives sent from Colombo are probing the incident by recording statements and collecting forensic evidence.
President Maithripala Sirisena while regretting the incident yesterday instructed the law enforcement authorities to carry out an impartial investigation and submit the report to courts as early as possible.He also ordered that compensation be given to the families of the victims. The two arts faculty students were killed in the incident on Thursday night after one of them was allegedly shot by policemen who were on night patrol.
According to a police report issued on Friday, the two youths who were travelling in a motorbike from Jaffna to Chunnakam ran off the road and crashed into nearby wall. They were taken to hospital by police at midnight but were pronounced dead on admission.
Later the Judicial Medical Officer’s report on these deaths concluded that the rider had a bullet wound in the chest while the pillion rider suffered head injuries after crashing into the wall.
A tense situation erupted at Jaffna Teaching Hospital on Friday with hundreds of university students demanding the release of the JMO’s report.
The two students, Natarajan Kajan and Pounraj Sulakshan, were travelling from Kanthorodai, some six kilometres from the Jaffna town from where one of the victim hailed on their way to th euniversity hostel.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), while unequivocally condemning the incident, said it took up the issue with President Maithripala Sirisena on the sidelines of an event in Trincomalee on Friday and called for an impartial investigation.
TNA abd Opposition Leader R Sampanthan also spoke to Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara and expressed his concern over what had happened.
The CID probe was ordered after Police first claimed that the incident was an accident. But hours later the Government’s Information Department said the the Post Mortem examination had been held five police officers had been arrested and immediately interdicted. “All necessary steps have been taken to ensure that the law is properly implemented in this regard,” it said in a statement.
This incident comes in the wake of a new police patrolling unit set up this week to bring under control the anti social activities and violence incidents which are on rise in the Jaffna district.
Police spokesperson Ajith Rohana told the Sunday Times that since the CID had taken over, a speedy investigation would be held and the truth revealed soon.
The funerals of the students are scheduled for today in Kilinochchi and tomorrow in Jaffna. Plans are underway by university community to organise protests in Jaffna tomorrow.