(@ShanakiyanR)
I am calling for an independent investigation into the death of Sivanesharasha Rinoshan (23) of 59/24, Vavikari Veethi, Sinna Uppodai, Batticaloa, who was arrested on December 2 by the Batticaloa Headquarters Police over an allegation of bicycle theft.
The family says they last saw him at the police station around 7.00 p.m. on the night of his arrest, and that he was fine at the time. When he was produced in court on December 3, the family claim he appeared to have been assaulted the night before. He was later remanded and transferred from prison to hospital on December 5, before being pronounced dead today.
The family alleges police brutality. Police have attributed his death to illness allegedly linked to the use of “Ice” drugs. These competing claims require a proper, independent inquiry. This is not the first such incident in Batticaloa.
Allegations of police brutality and deaths following arrest continue to surface, with accountability falling short. When someone is arrested, the State is responsible for their life, safety, and dignity. No allegation — especially one as minor as bicycle theft — justifies a death in custody. The post-mortem report must be released without delay.
The investigation must be independent of the Batticaloa Police, and those responsible must be held accountable if wrongdoing is established.