Occupying SL Police in Jaffna again blamed for dodging action on criminal policemen

Post-mortem examinations have revealed that the 32-year-old Tamil victim, who died after SL Police fired on him within the premises of a Catholic church at Mallaakam in Jaffna on Sunday evening, was caused by a gunshot that pierced his lungs. The bullet entered from backside below the shoulder. Besides, there were also wounds indicating that he had been beaten, medical sources said. In the meantime, the SL police Senior DIG in Jaffna Roshan Fernando went on record stating that the policeman was involved in the firing was being detained. But, no such police officer was produced to the courts, legal sources in Jaffna told TamilNet Monday night. 

However, Mallaakam Magistrate A. Judson was not buying the villagers claim that the policemen who shot the 32-year-old man, Sutharshan Packyiyarasa, were drunk. 

He was thinking that the policemen who intervened were those who were returning after meeting him about another case.

The eyewitnesses blame that the policeman who fired did it with the intent to kill and was wearing civilian clothes. They also question why the policeman shot below the shoulders knowing that the act would claim the life of the victim. 

They also question whether police officers deployed in South would do the same to Sinhala people within the premises of a Buddhist temple or vihara and argue that the policemen and the entire police system in Jaffna operate with a racist attitude towards Tamils. 

The police power should be with the Northern Provincial Council if people's security were to be ensured in a proper way, political observers in Jaffna say pointing out that all the police and STF criminals have escaped punishment after brutal firing incidents claiming innocent peoples lives in the previous four killings within the past 3 years in the Jaffna peninsula.