News
Five schoolboys face ID parade over deadly beating
An unexpected confrontation between a group schoolboys and a salon manager last Saturday night led to the death of a man, and five youths are in police custody.
They face an identification parade tomorrow.
This incident is being investigated by the police under the direction of Slave Island Police OIC, Crimes Division, IP Nalaka Gunasekara.
The five boys – three of them from Kandy and two brothers from Colombo — had built up a friendship through sports events representing their schools. They had decided to meet in Colombo during the holidays.
The two brothers from Slave Island and their friends were on their way to a restaurant around midnight on Staple Street in Colombo 2.
It was around that time Mr Nimal Anagiyak Dehige, manager of a reputed salon accompanied by a former female worker of the salon had returned to the premises to pick up a bag of clothing they had purchased earlier in the day. They had left the bag with the security guard.
According to investigations, the boys who were passing by are reported to have cast adverse remarks at the woman. An argument had erupted and that had escalated into a fight. But the manager, outnumbered, had runaway. The youth had given chase for more than 100 meters, but he had fallen down on Muttiah Road, where he had beaten up with a pole. An Air Force jeep on a night patrol had approached the location and noticed the youths fleeing along the same path they had come towards Staple Street.
In front of Visumpaya, the former state guest house, the youths were confronted by the air force men who then checked for possible possession of any weapons, or drugs. The youths had been ordered to kneel.
The airforce men had collected their identity cards and informed the Slave Island Police who arrived and took the youths into custody.
Mr Dehige had been rushed to a private hospital in Kollupitiya but was pronounced dead on admission.
Police have recorded the statement of the former employee of the salon who accompanied Mr Dehige.
Mr Dehige’s funeral took place on Wednesday in Payagala, Kalutara. He was a father of three. The five youths who were produced before the Fort Additional Magistrate Shalani Perera were remanded until tomorrow.