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Kandakadu probe on hold as victim’s body unidentified

01 Jul 2022

  • Party believed to be parents unable to identify deceased inmate
  • Police questioning fellow inmates and checking rehab records 
  • Probe to commence only once identity determined
  BY Safrah Fazal   Investigations into the suspicious death of an inmate at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre, who died on Tuesday (28 June) evening, are yet to properly commence, owing to complexities that have arisen with regard to the identification of the deceased, The Morning learnt. Well-placed sources told The Morning yesterday (30 June) that when those believed to be the parents of the deceased were invited to identify his body, the couple had revealed to the authorities that they are uncertain as to whether the deceased is in fact their son. When The Morning questioned as to why the duo were uncertain of the identity, the sources added that the said inmate was an Army deserter and therefore, may have not returned home for years. “Once his identity is confirmed, the investigations into his death will commence, as the consent of the parents or the guardian is required in order to conduct the post-mortem examination,” the sources emphasised. The Welikanda Police has meanwhile summoned inmates who have closely associated with the deceased in order to record statements, while the documents in possession of the Kandakadu Centre are also being inspected in order to confirm the deceased’s identity, the source added. On Wednesday (29 June), the Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) alleged that the suspicious death of an inmate at the Kandakadu Centre, following which the mass escape of over 500 inmates also occurred, was due to an assault by an Army officer. Speaking to The Morning, CPRP General Secretary Sudesh Nandimal Silva claimed: “The Army oversees the rehabilitation of inmates at Kandakadu. As per the information that we have received so far, an Army officer had assaulted the said inmate, which led to his death.”  He also claimed that according to sources, fellow inmates were provoked by this incident, leading to unrest and the subsequent escape. When contacted by The Morning on Wednesday (29 June), Police Spokesman, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and Attorney-at-Law (AAL) Nihal Thalduwa said that an investigation was being carried out by the Police (under the supervision of the SSP in charge of the Polonnaruwa Division, with further Police teams to be assigned) into the death of the inmate. Speaking to The Morning on Wednesday, Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Maj. Gen. Darshana Hettiarachchi explained that on Tuesday evening, the deceased’s instructor had questioned the said inmate after finding tobacco in his possession, which had later escalated into a verbal altercation. Hettiarachchi added that an investigation is currently being carried out by the Police as well as the Bureau of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation as to what transpired following this incident and that the relevant report in this regard will be presented within the upcoming days. On Wednesday morning, the Police revealed that over 500 inmates of the Kandakadu Centre had escaped following a tense situation that erupted after the death of an inmate on Tuesday evening. It was stated that a group of inmates had resorted to unruly behaviour following the death and that the tense situation within the premises had continued from Tuesday night until early Wednesday morning.  The Police and the Army, the latter which provides security only to the outer perimeter of the centre, launched a joint operation subsequently to control the situation and apprehend the inmates who had escaped, according to Thalduwa. It was reported that many of the escapees had been apprehended or had surrendered by last evening.


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