The Magistrate ordered today (21) to submit a report showing the progress of the investigation into the death of Rajakumari, the domestic worker who allegedly died in Welikada police custody. Sri Lanka Latest News
Colombo Additional Magistrate Mr. Harshana Kekunawala further ordered that the relevant report be submitted to the court on the 26th of next month.
The death inquiry related to this incident was called before the Colombo Additional Magistrate today.
A person named Mahendran Suresh, who testified under the direction of the officers of the Criminal Investigation Department, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Meryl Ranjan, said that he saw Rajakumari being beaten by a police officer inside the Welikada Police Station.
The witness said that one day, when he was near the main bus stand in Petakotowa, two police officers came and handcuffed him and put him in a vehicle and took him to the house where Rajakumari worked on Borella Kota Road.
The witness also said that the police who brought Rajakumari also put the other handcuff on her hand.
The witness has stated that when Rajakumari was taken away, she was not ill and she was walking well.
The witness has also mentioned that a police officer inside the vehicle said to Rajakumari while being taken away from the vehicle, “You stole the ring, the scent bottle, and the shoes.”
The witness stated that he and Rajakumari were brought to the Welikada Police and that two police officers who were there assaulted him and Raja Kumari, one of whom was a bald person and the other was a thin tall person.
The witness told the court that he saw a thin tall officer hitting the dead Rajakumari with a rubber tube.
The witness further testified that “Ma’am Sudharma” came and asked not to beat and to resolve the issue.
After that, the further examination was adjourned till the 26th.