Mathugama HQI Breaks the Hand of Piyadasa

 " Piyadasa clearly states that he was assaulted by the HQI of Mathugama police. He urges the authorities to take legal and disciplinary actions against the HQI named Udaya Kumara. He has already made a written complaint to the human rights commission, the IGP and the SSP of Kalutara."

by M. L. A. N Ismail and Harshi C. Perera

(November 27, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Piyadasa resides in Mithurugama Rd, Malaboda, Dodangoda. He is a 57 years old businessman. He is married with seven children.

On 15.10.2010 around 5.30 a.m. in the morning two policemen attached to the Matugama police station came to his house and asked him to accompany them. They told him to get into the trishaw in which they came. He got into the trishaw, because he was afraid of the police.

There were four people in the trishaw including the driver of it. All of them were dressed in civilian clothes. The trishaw was driven to a distance far away from his house and he was told to get down there. When he was getting down, one of the policemen kicked him and asked to give the gun. He told them that he had no gun in his possession.

They trampled him and assaulted him repeatedly. During the time of beating, one of them told him that he was the HQI of the Matugama police.

After a while, they received a telephone call and took him to Yatadola. At Yatadola, there were about 10 policemen attached to Matugama police station with an arrested person who was brewing illicit liquor (kassippu). They asked the arrestee whether he knew Piyadasa. The man replied positively. Piyadasa also knew him as Muniyandi Sankar. Again they assaulted Piyadasa repeatedly by a wooden stick which was taken from the road side. They assaulted him in his back many times. They kept on asking about a gun while beating him. He told them that it was not in his possession; but they did not listen to him and continued the assault.

Some of them took Muniyandi Sankar into the jungle, brought two barrels and three cans while Piyadasa was kept closer to the trishaw by the HQI and two other policemen. Then the HQI took a telephone call to the Matugama police and instructed to send a photographer to the scene.

When the photographer arrived there, they moved the barrel a little with the support of a stone and ordered both Piyadasa and Muniyandi Sankare to stand either side of the barrel. While they were standing, the photographer was ordered to take photographs.

Around 8.30 a.m. in the morning, Piyadasa's son Thilakaratne came there driving his tractor on his way to collect milk from Kosgahakanda estate. They stopped the tractor and forced him to load the barrel. His son refused saying that he was getting late to his business. But the HQI threatened him and put barrels, cans, Mudiyandi Sankar and Piyadasa into the tractor. The HQI and the others got into the trishaw.

Both the arrestees were brought to the Mathugama police station and were put into the cell. Both of them were kept there until next day, the 16th till 4.00 p.m. One policeman who came there admitted that the HQI assaulted Piyadasa and said that he would be send to a doctor and later on bail.

Then they were asked to get ready to go to the Weththawa hospital. The policeman who brought Piyadasa advised him to be silent and promised his quick release on bail. At the hospital, two policemen gave two forms to the doctor in which they did not know what was written. The doctor didn’t examine them. He didn’t ask even their names.

Again they were brought back to the Mathugama police station. The policemen put Muniyandi Sankar into the cell and took Piyadasa to the official bungalow of the Magistrate. When he was taken there, Piyadasa’s wife, his son and an Attorney At Law (Nallaperuma) were waiting there.

The lawyer said to the Magistrate that Piyadasa was assaulted by the Matugama police. Piyadasa was released on a money bail of Rs.50000 and on two sureties.

When Piyadasa came home, his left hand began to swollen with pain. Next day on 17th he went to see an Aurvedic doctor called Ratnayaka in the Thudugala junction to receive treatment.

The doctor advised Piyadasa to take x-ray of the hand from a family care hospital. The x-ray report confirmed that his hand was broken. The Aurvedic doctor advised him to take treatments from Nagoda Government hospital`.

Piyadasa told the incident to the said lawyer and the lawyer advised him to wait until 18th to pay bail money as promised.

Piyadasa took pain killers from a pharmacy and went to the Mathugama court on the 18th. The Matugama police came there in the evening. Again the said lawyer tolled the judge that the police had assaulted Piyadasa and showed his swollen hand to the judge.

The police fabricated false charges on him of possessing and selling illicit liquor. After paying the bail money Piyadasa came to the Nagoda General hospital. He was admitted to ward number 11. He told that he was assaulted by the HQI of the Matugama police. On 20th he was taken by an attendant to the hospital police post. But the police in the hospital police post, didn’t record his statement. After that the Judicial Medical Officer examined him and recorded a statement. In it, the date on which he was discharged from the hospital was mentioned as 19.10.2010, but he was released only on 20.10.2010.

Piyadasa clearly states that he was assaulted by the HQI of Mathugama police. He urges the authorities to take legal and disciplinary actions against the HQI named Udaya Kumara. He has already made a written complaint to the human rights commission, the IGP and the SSP of Kalutara.