by Shamindra Ferdinando

Drunken youth strangle 40-year-old man to death

Negombo police recently arrested five persons wanted in connection with the killing of 40-year-old Kottege Bernard alias Ranjith at the Kepungoda beach. He was a father of two children. The victim was returning home from a musical show held on July 28 to mark the annual feast of the Dungalpitiya church. Investigations revealed that the suspects clashed with the victim at the musical show when he accidentally bumped into one of them when they were dancing. The suspects were drunk. Later the suspects attacked him when he was on his way home. The suspects had used a belt to strangle him. The suspects were identified as residents of Kepungoda. The victim was also from the same area.

Police chief Lakdasa Kodituwakku rarely took a key decision without consulting the then government. One such decision was the order to restrict open air musical shows upto 11 pm following a grenade blast at Maligapitiya, Kurunegala on April 1 last year. The blast claimed the lives of 13 persons including women and children prompting Kodituwakku to restrict shows as part of the measures to curb violence.

Within 24 hours he was directed to rescind the decision. Following talks between the Deputy Defence Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte and Kodituwakku, the latter was simply asked to permit open air musical shows upto 1am. But police did not even implement that. Shows were allowed continue upto the early hours of the following day. The situation remains the same with two major incidents taking place since the UNP regained power in last December. The incidents claimed the life of a 29-year-old married man at Kapuwatte, Ja-Ela barely a few kms away from Interior Minister John Amaratunga’s Kandana home and wounded about 40 others.

Over the past few years, violence at open air musical shows has become a regular feature with some terrible incidents taking place. Ironically, successive governments appeared to have failed to take effective counter measures, at least to control the situation. It was obvious that restricting musical shows would not be enough. Instead it has to be part of the action to ensure peace at musical shows. It was no longer safe to stand close to a group of dancing youth as violence could erupt at any time.

The Kapuwatte killing was the latest in a series of such incidents. Roshan Kapila Chandana was knifed to death on the night of July 20th. The show was organised in view of the annual feast of the St. Anne’s church, Weligampitiya scheduled for July 28. The victim was with a few of his friends. They joined rest of the youth dancing to a fast beat. Many were drunk. They were on the verge of exploding. One of them had mercilessly assaulted a boy ‘on the dancing floor’ after the boy bumped into him unintentionally. The boy was unable to defend himself. The victim appeared to have been the only person who tried to save the boy from the bully. He had demanded that the bully leaves the boy alone.

Knife wielding hoodlum

Following a harsh argument, the bully knifed Chandana. People around the scene scattered as if by magic. Chandana was alone. He made a frantic bid to get away. He succeeded in running away but collapsed near the railway track. The attacker and his gang persued him. The knife wielding hoodlum and his drunken friends prevented people from coming to his assistance. A group of three-wheeler drivers were among those who tried to remove the wounded to the nearby hospital. They were warned to keep away. Chandana bled to death.

There were no policemen. His young life could have been saved if policemen were there. It was a shame as the show was held just a few kms away from the local police station. Even if the police was unable to prevent the knife attack, they could have easily taken steps to send the wounded man to a nearby hospital if personnel were at the scene of the incident. It was a tragedy. It could have been avoided. Chandana who was planning to join his wife working in Cyprus died on a railway track.

Kandana police later arrested the suspect along with several of his friends involved in the incident.

It would not have happened if the spectators were not intoxicated. It was not the first time drunken youth went on the rampage at a musical show. It would not be the last unless police authorities take corrective measures whatever the opposition from the politicians. Apart from liquor, ganja is freely available among youth. It has become stylish to roll a ganja cigarette or a ‘joint’ as some call it, while enjoying an open air musical show.

Despite the tragedy at Kapuwatte on July 20th, just three weeks later large groups of youth, some of them drunk were on the Colombo road on the night of August 10th.. They were on their way to Ja-Ela to enjoy a mega musical show organised by Swarnavahini. The Ja-Ela show took place just a few miles away from the scene of the July misfortune. They travelled on the buses and lorries. Thousands walked to their destination, blocking the road for vehicular traffic. They forced some private vehicle owners to give them lifts. The show was held at the ground located behind the Ja-Ela police station.

The boys acted as if they were given exclusive rights to use the road. Few policemen were engaged in the difficult task of controlling thousands of youth. I had the opportunity to see the way they behaved as I passed Ja-Ela last around 10.30pm on my way home after work. It took almost 20 minutes to pass the police station as large groups kept on moving across the road just a stone’s throw away from the police station. Small groups were having beer and liquor on the side of the road. A liquor shop was opened in the night. It was doing great business. What a shame authorities in the Ja-Ela-Kandana area did not take steps to control unruly mobs at the musical show despite a brutal killing at another show just three weeks ago. Some youth openly harassed women, some of them accompanied by their husbands or boyfriends. Liquor had taken away all inhibitions.

Fortunately nothing untoward happened on that day although anything was possible given the condition of some of the revellers. Obviously police did not want to do anything to upset the organisers as a number of politicians including ministers and top cops were special guests at the show. There is nothing wrong in organising musical shows. But there must be a system in place to prevent outbreak of violence.

Except for an occasional brawl which sometimes ended with a few bruises, there were no serious clashes. In fact the use of a weapon was inconceivable. But the Kurunegala blast in April 2001 showed what could happen if a drunk was ready to fight his way out of trouble. It was another musical show organised by Swarnavahini. Indian vocalist Sharmila was on stage when a soldier threw a hand grenade at a group of people. It was a specially built grenade used by the special forces. The blast claimed the lives of 13 at 1 am on April 2. Several dozens suffered injuries, many while trying to run away from the scene.

Grenade attack

Later inquiries revealed that the attack which took place about 40 m. away from the stage happened subsequent to an exchange of blows between two groups. Almost all of them had been drunk. Sadly, most of the dead were not involved in the fight. It was the worst incident at a musical show. A grenade had never been used before under similar circumstances before.

The police chief ordered curbs on musical shows subsequent to talks with the senior officials who expressed the belief that midnight shows must not be allowed. They agreed to restrict shows upto 11 pm. The PA disagreed.

A similar incident took place in July this year. About 40 persons including several women and children suffered injuries when a soldier exploded a hand grenade at Matara’s Sanath Jayasuriya stadium. Predictably, the attacker, his associates and the group of persons involved in a fight with them were drunk. The blast took place around midnight amidst a huge fireworks display. It was organised by a radio station.

Soldiers and deserters have been involved in some of these incidents. In some instances groups of soldiers have clashed with police. The day after the Kurunegala bloodbath, a group of soldiers went on the rampage at a musical show at Horowpotana. They attacked both civilians and policemen who tried to control the situation. It was just one incident. There had been many over the years. Although I was unable to gather exact details, a junior Airforce officer was knifed to death at a Puttalam musical show a few years ago. One of his colleagues suffered knife wounds.

Police officers say many incidents have not been reported. Many people have suffered knife injuries but refrain from lodging a complaint as injuries were not life threatening.

Police officers say that most of the incidents were over minor disputes. "Fisticuffs take place over a range of issues," a police officer said, adding that a simple joke directed at a girl can end up in a big fight. Occasionally these fisticuffs turn ugly if there are drunks. Anything can happen if somebody carries a weapon. It can be a knife, a grenade or even a locally made bomb known as dappi.

It is agreed that unarmed policemen cannot effectively control unruly crowds. On and off incidents have proved that some are armed, at least with knifes, at these shows. A sizeable number of security forces deserters too are armed. But they carry not only knives. They have grenades among other weapons. Unless the authorities act, it will not be long before they come with assault rifles smuggled out of bases in the North-East over the years.

Musicians are dead against curbs on these shows. That will hit them, particularly Sri Lanka’s leading bands, in their pockets. They attract huge crowds. These shows which commence around 9 pm, continue till the early hours of the following day. Over the years, the concept of an open air musical show has changed. People no longer want to listen to the music and see their favourite stars in action. Years ago, just a handful danced in front of the stage. Some were there after consuming alcohol. But today, nearly all the youth dancers are after drinks. Some go further. They take ganja. Some invariably take heroin. Some go for betel (bulath) based babul and beeda which give them a ‘kick.’

It would not be long before police carrying metal detectors will have to station themselves at the entrances to musical shows to prevent the entry of armed persons unless law enforcers take necessary measures to arrest the deteriorating situation. Today’s musical shows have become (to some extent) what political rallies used to be during the second JVP-led insurgency with a hand grenade here and a hand grenade there.