Sabaratnam Naguleswaran, a 59-year-old resident of Puthukkudiyiruppuin Mullaitivu district, has died while in custody in a prison in Colombo.
Relatives of Sabaratnam Naguleswaran, who worked as an accountant for a construction company, say the post-mortem examination revealed that the negligence of prison officials and doctors contributed to his death. Family members also allege assault.
Naguleswaran, was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on December 10 for an open warrant issued in connection with a case pending before the Colombo High Court. He was presented before the court on December 11, 2025, and remanded by Colombo's Magistrate's Court until January 9, 2026.
Family members who state that Naguleswaran was a diabetic patient, told the journalists that they visited him daily until December 20, 2025.
On December 26, Naguleswaran had been admitted to the Prison Hospital and died whilst in custody.
When relatives came to view the body, they observed injuries to his feet and severe swellings of his legs.
They claim that as a diabetic, he had been advised to wear shoes regularly, but was instead given slippers in prison, which caused wounds that may have contributed to his death.
In a report submitted to Magistrate Rexy Godwin Piyadasa, Additional Forensic Medical Examiner Sathasivam Ravindran noted that “the next of kin complain that prompt and proper care was not provided at the prison hospital.”
Prison officials informed the family of his death between December 27-29, and the body was taken over by the relatives on December 30.
A relative, has told the journalists that a complaint was lodged at the Borella Police Station, since the death was suspicious.
“He could have been saved if he had been transferred to another hospital. There, he could have been given proper treatments. This is actually negligence by the doctors and the prison. We don’t know the culprit. But can they give his life back? A father to his child? or the husband to his wife?”
Sabaratnam Naguleswaran's last rites were performed in Jaffna on December 30, 2025.
