Police SI dies following Feb 21 stabbing incident; officer posthumously promoted

A police officer attached to the Warakapola police division has succumbed to his injuries after he fell victim to a stabbing during an anti-narcotic walk in Palamure at 10:35 am on February 21.

The victim, Sub-Police Inspector Upali Samarasekara, was stabbed during the walk which was heading towards Palamure from Kongoda. The walk had been organised as a part of an anti-narcotic campaign carried out by the Palamure Primary School.

Mr. Samarasekara, a 59-year old resident of Ellakkala had succumbed to his injuries at 11 pm yesterday after receiving a lengthy treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of the Kandy General hospital.

Meanwhile, he has been posthumously promoted to the post of Police Inspector upon the directives of IGP Pujith Jayasundara.

The suspect in the stabbing incident was arrested on Feburary 22 and produced before the Warakapola Magistrates Court following which he was remanded until March 08. However, the Magistrate, during the hearing on March 08 had ordered the suspect to be further remanded until April 05.

Police have identified the suspect as 38-year old H. Saman Kumara, a resident of Niyadurupola.

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