UPFA PS member arrested over death of youth

By Norman Palihawadane

 Kahawatte police yesterday took into custody a UPFA member of the Weligepola Pradeshiya Sabha for the death of a young man who had succumbed to his injuries following an alleged attack by the PS member.

The suspect PS Member is said to have attacked the youth, G. Amila Pradeep using a belt and a bottle on February 28, police said. Amila Pradeep sustained serious injuries and succumbed to his injuries at the Ratnapura hospital in the early hours of Sunday.

The assault was over a personal issue, police said.

Police said that suspect’s paramour too had given evidence against him.

The relatives of the victim G. Amila Pradeep carried his coffin to the Weligepola police station and held a demonstration outside it demanding police to arrest the assailant.

The suspect had been charged with a murder on a previous occasion as well, the residents said.

G. Amila Pradeep’s wife who is pregnant is expected to deliver the baby in a few weeks’ time.

On February 28, the victim had been mercilessly assaulted allegedly by the suspect PS member and after he fell unconscious he had been dumped near the Kahawatte Cemetery. The suspect had been drunk at the time of incident, according to witnesses’ accounts, police said.

The residents, after informing the police had admitted the injured youth to the Pallebedde hospital.

Later he had been transferred to the Embilipitiya hospital and from there to the National Hospital and finally to the Ratnapura hospital.

Godakawela police are conducting investigations under the supervision of ASP G. G. Dhanapala.

IGP N.K.Illangakoon at a news conference yesterday said that the victim was an innocent youth and the suspect mistaken him for another.

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