Seven Police Narcotics Bureau officers arrested over death of vocational trainer in custody

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested seven Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) officers including a Sub-Inspector over the death of an Assistant Manager of the Vocational Training Authority (VTA), Narahenpita while in the custody of the PNB.

Accordingly, a Sub-Inspector, a Sergeant and five Constables attached to the PNB were arrested over the death of a 42-year-old suspect.

The death of A.G. Samantha Preethi Kumara, a father of two from Hikkaduwa, was reported on January 10, 2023 while he was in the custody of the PNB.

Kumara was arrested by the PNB near the National Vocational Training Institute in Narahenpita while in possession of 15 grams of heroin, and had reportedly acted impulsively while being interrogated, injuring a police officer with a broken glass bottle during the altercation.

Both the suspect and the injured officer were then admitted to the Colombo National Hospital, where the arrestee was later pronounced dead.
The CID has launched an investigation into the incident.

The Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court ruled on June 06 that the cause of death of the assistant manager was due to assault.

Accordingly, the magistrate ordered the arrest of the officers involved in this incident and for then to be produced before courts.

Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa, on January 12, revealed that the postmortem examination cited the cause of death as internal bleeding.
The deceased was also reportedly a close associate of underworld figure ‘Podi Lassi’, according to police.

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UPDATE – 06:30 PM:

Seven Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) officers who were arrested in connection with the death of a person while in police custody have been remanded until the 23rd of June.

This order was given after the group was presented to the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court today (June 09).