The Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar has acquitted four Sri Lanka Army personnel implicated in the Rathupaswala shooting incident, which resulted in the deaths of three individuals during a protest in 2013.
The verdict, delivered over 11 years after the tragic event, was issued by a panel of High Court Judges—Nimal Ranaweera, Nishantha Hapuarachchi, and Sahan Mapa. The acquitted individuals include an Army officer and three soldiers.
The incident occurred on August 1, 2013, in the Weliweriya area of Rathupaswala, Gampaha, when villagers were protesting against a factory accused of contaminating the local drinking water supply. During the protest, Army personnel opened fire on the demonstrators, resulting in the deaths of three people, including two schoolchildren, and injuries to 45 others.
The long-awaited verdict brings closure to a case that has been a significant point of contention in Sri Lanka, highlighting issues of environmental justice and military conduct during civilian protests.
