K.G. Nishantha, a 37 year old fisherman residing at Thelkoladeniya Estate, Kottawa has been seriously injured as a result of inhuman assault by the Galle Akmeemana Police.
The man was arrested by the Akmeemana Police on September 5th on charges of stealing an old battery. The incident was settled after the owner found the battery there. However, the man has been detained for three days pending further investigations. There he says that he was beaten in a very inhuman manner. He was later released by the Akmeemana Police, after being fined Rs. 5,000 for possession of heroin.
Following is Nishantha’s story.
“After that Akmeemana police put me in a cage, saying that, I had a warrant. Two batteries were lost near our house and the police threatened us to give them back. Fifteen thousand rupees was demanded from me for the TV that broke into the plaintiff’s house.
Then again I was put in to the cage and took out around 7:30 pm. Then they handcuffed my arms, my arms and legs
were tied behind my back and two senior police officers jointly beaten me and put me back in the cage.
The next morning they took me out again. I was asked to return stolen two batteries and the plaintiff’s belongings. I said that I didn’t take those. Then I was handcuffed and hung on a mango tree with my head down. Then I was beaten again with sticks. There I lost consciousness.
When I regained consciousness I was given a cup of tea. These people were scared when I fainted. The police threatened that they will produce me before the high court if I told I had been assaulted. Later the OIC of the Crime Division forced me to say that the shopkeeper where stole the battery had beaten me. He also threatened to not to say that I had been assaulted by police. I was silent because of fear to the police.
Then the police dropped a packet of drug as charge against me and produce me before the court. I did not say anything in court about being beaten out of fear. I was fined five thousand rupees. Our mother bail out me. I have no income amd living in a rented house. My lower back was badly injured due to the police assault. The pain is unbearable. So I was admitted to the Kamburupitiya Government Hospital. I told the doctors the truth. I was told I had been beaten by the police. A forensic doctor came and examined me. The police also came and noted down a statement from me. That officer advice me to not to file a case against the police and to forget about the incident. I did not tell anyone about this incident because I was afraid of the police. But I can not bear the pain, I can not stop talking. So please do me the justice.
KG Nishantha returned home yesterday (12) after receiving treatment at the Kamburupitiya Hospital for four days. He sustained two major injuries to his buttocks as a result of the fracture and is still recovering.
