Evidence was called before the Aluthkade Magistrate’s Court No. 5 today (14) regarding the deaths of Ashoka Lakmal and Vijekumar Pragash Nirmanandan, who were arrested by the Kotahena Police and taken to Modara Crow Island to show weapons and then shot dead.

Two police officers involved in the incident, including the OIC of the Kotahena Police, gave evidence before the Magistrate today. The Magistrate ordered that the evidence of three other police officers and the relatives of the deceased be called again on March 21.

Two officers from the Grandpass Police Traffic Division chased Ashoka and Nirmanandana on the motorcycle they were riding and arrested them on February 20 night. Police say they were arrested while they were fleeing after shooting Shashi Kumar, who ran a mobile phone shop on Kotahena Street.

The suspects, Ashoka and Nirmanandan, who were arrested on the night of February 20, were brutally beaten and taken to Crow Island in the early hours of the next day (21) to show their hidden weapons. During the operation the suspect, Ashoka, tried to snatch the automatic firearm of the Kotahena OIC, and the OIC fired in self-defense, killing the suspects on the spot, the police say. The suspects struggled with the OIC to snatch the firearm. During this incident a police constable who was at the scene was also shot in the right leg.

Hospital sources say that Ashok and Nirmannadhan were dead when they were taken to the Colombo General Hospital. Reliable sources in the Kotahena Police say that they were taken to the Kotahena Police Station, beaten to death and then shot.

This photo shows Ashoka Lakmal. (The suspect, Lakmal, who grabbed the OIC’s firearm and shot him, is in critical condition due to the attack)

Attorney at law Senaka Perera, who appeared on behalf of the rights of the deceased, spoke to the media after hearing the evidence and said the following. 

Police say they took the suspects away in handcuffs, but they couldn’t make a video because it was night. The police have a large media unit. What doesn’t the police have? There is a question as to why they don’t use it, especially in matters related to justice like people’s lives. 

The question arises here as to whether the police can work by evading the Supreme Court guidelines on how to handle a suspect. Today, three people, including the OIC of Kotahena Police, gave evidence before the court. Another group is expected to give evidence. The question is if the suspects are handcuffed, how can they shoot at the police? One suspect snatches the firearm, but in this incident, both the suspects die due to shooting. This is a very dangerous situation. Justice is dispensed by the judiciary.
The judiciary’s job is to punish suspects who are guilty. Police cannot punish suspects
The police are not there to punish people as they please.

However the police have dealt with the man who allegedly raped the female doctor at the Anuradhapura police station yesterday in a very brutal manner. The suspect said before the magistrate that a stick was inserted into his anus. He was also brutally assaulted.

Attorney at law Senaka Perera and Attorney at law Danushka de Silva appeared on behalf of the rights of the deceased.

The following is the picture of Pragash Nirmananadan