A protest was held in Jaffna to demand justice for a Tamil teenager who was shot dead by Sri Lankan police earlier this month.
Tamil protesters gathered at Jaffna Central bus stand today to call for an investigation into the murder of 17 year old Albino Arul Pius, who was fatally shot on February 10 by Sri Lankan police officers in Alaipiddy.
Sri Lankan police opened fire on a van in the Allaipiddy area of Kayts that they claim failed to comply with orders at a checkpoint. The teenager, who was driving the vehicle, was struck by gunfire and died from his injuries.
An autopsy conducted at Jaffna Teaching Hospital confirmed that the fatal bullet entered his forehead, penetrated his head and pierced his brain.
Despite the heavy presence of Sri Lanka's security forces, the protest went ahead with protesters holding placards that read "arrest the police" as they chanted that justice is needed for the killing.
Pius's mother who spoke with reporters during the protest said:
“If my son had been involved in anything bad, there would have been cases against him at the divisional police or courts but nothing has been lodged against him.”
“They could have shot at the van’s tyre, why did they need to shoot my son?" she asked.
“This government doesn’t understand that justice is needed, international government won’t understand. Is there only support for people with money? Is there no justice for a struggling family? […] Is what happened in my home not a killing? Why are they protecting him? Why is the government protecting the person who shot my son?”
The case will be heard at Kayts Magistrate Court on February 24.
