Saturday, February 18, 2012

Teenager complains to SC of brutal police assault

A 17-year-old youth, from Girimallegoda, Galle, has complained to the Supreme Court that on August 23, 2011, he was arrested without a reason and beaten brutally, by some officers of the Thelikala Police station.

The petitioner, P. Suranjith Saranga, said that the police had taken him around the area in a three wheeler, and introduced him to the villagers, as a ‘grease yaka’. The petitioner had denied this allegation of being a ‘grease devil’. He had said that the lady, who had complained about the grease devil frightening her, had soon after withdrawn her complaint. But the police had still beaten him (petitioner) and he was now ashamed to face the villagers, since he had been branded as a ‘grease devil’.

The petition was yesterday supported in Court by Attorneys-at-Law Santha Jayewardene, appearing with Duleeka Imbuldeniya.

The Supreme Court yesterday granted leave to proceed on the alleged inhuman treatment and the alleged illegal arrest. The Galle Prison Hospital authorities were ordered to submit medical reports pertaining to the assault injuries sustained by the petitioner, due to police assault. This petition will be argued on July 10, 2012.

Senior State Counsel, Lakmali Karunanayake, appeared for the Attorney General.

The Bench comprised Justice Saleem Marsoof, Justice P. A. Ratnayake and Justice Chandra Ekanayake.
 By Chitra Weeraratne
IS