A 49-year-old Tamil man, Chandrakumar Chandrabalan, has died while in police custody at the Valvettithurai police station.
Chandrabalan, who was from Valvettithurai, was arrested by the Valvettithurai Police on Saturday after an arrest warrant was issued by Point Pedro Magistrate’s Court.
Chandrabalan suddenly fell ill and was taken to Valvettithurai hospital where he later died.
His body was then transferred to Point Pedro Base Hospital for an autopsy. The Acting Magistrate of Point Pedro Magistrate’s Court, who personally inspected the body, has ordered it to be sent to Jaffna Teaching Hospital for a comprehensive autopsy. Samples have also been sent to Colombo for further testing.
Sri Lanka has a history of deaths occurring in police custody, raising concerns about the treatment of detainees and the conditions within detention facilities. This incident highlights the ongoing issues within the law enforcement system.
In December 2024, 40-year-old Tamil prisoner, Ratnasingam Chandrakumar, from Navatkuli, died whilst being transported to the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court.
Chandrakumar had fainted whilst he was being escorted from the prison vehicle to the courthouse. He was taken to the hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.