By unusuma.lk on (LK time)
Four police constables from the Wadduwa Police Station were arrested this afternoon (12) for allegedly assaulting a person who was apprehended and later died after vomiting blood at home, following his release on police bail.
The arrests were made by officers from the Panadura Divisional Crimes Investigation Division, following an investigation conducted under the guidance of the Panadura SSP, the police confirmed.
The constables will be presented before the Panadura Magistrate’s Court tomorrow (13).
To facilitate disciplinary action, the four constables have been interdicted, as stated by the Police Spokesman.
The investigation was initiated by the Office of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Panadura, after a complaint was filed that a father-of-one, arrested by the Wadduwa Police, died after being hospitalized for vomiting blood at home following his release on bail.
The deceased, R.M. Samitha Dilshan, a 24-year-old father of one from the Thalpitiya area in Wadduwa, passed away under these circumstances. Police reported that he was arrested by the Wadduwa Police in connection with a vehicle accident, detained for several hours, and then released on bail.
It is reported that he was hospitalized after vomiting blood at home, later succumbing to his injuries while being treated at Panadura Hospital. The investigation was launched after the deceased’s wife, Roshini Lakmali, lodged a complaint with the Panadura SSP’s office.
A hospital spokesperson confirmed that the body of the deceased has been placed at Panadura Base Hospital for a post-mortem examination.
The Wadduwa Police had previously stated that two individuals, including the deceased, were seen riding a motorcycle with visible injuries while crime division officers were conducting mobile patrols. The police alleged that, due to their injuries, the two were arrested on suspicion of committing a crime and attempting to flee.
After being detained for several hours, they were later released and handed over to their family members for medical treatment, according to the police.
In reaction to the incident, residents of Thalpitiya staged a protest outside the Wadduwa Police Station last night (11), escalating the situation. Officers from nearby stations, including Bandaragama, Pinwatta, Moronthuduwa, and Hirana, were called in to restore order.
