Jaffna magistrate orders arrest of Sri Lankan police for murder of Tamil youth

by Thusiyan
Nov 24, 2023

A court in Jaffna has ordered the arrest of Sri Lankan police officers over their involvement in the killing of a Tamil youth, who was tortured to death in custody last week.

25-year-old Nagarasa Alex died last week, after being arrested and tortured by Sri Lankan police. A post-mortem examination revealed “multiple injuries” that led to his death.

The Jaffna magistrate ruled it a homicide and ordered the arrest of four Sri Lankan police officers.

Amongst those testifying were the Judicial Medical Officer and Alex’s friend who was initially detained in custody alongside him.

More than 40 Tamil lawyers appeared in the case, with an unusually heavy Sri Lankan police contingent deployed outside the court.

Another hearing has been scheduled for November 27.

Whilst the Sri Lankan Criminal Investigation Department (CID), itself notorious for torture, said it would investigate his death, Alex’s relatives and Tamils around the world have called for justice.

Earlier this week, Switzerland’s ambassador to Sri Lanka said her government was “deeply concerned” and said that “any case of alleged custodial mistreatment should be impartially investigated by the Sri Lankan authorities”. Her remarks were the first call from an international government official for an investigation.

There has been widespread outrage over his death. Alex had earlier been detained by Sri Lankan police in Vaddukkottai, with a video of him describing the horrific torture he was subject to being shared widely on social media.

In the video, Alex describes being waterboarded, having ropes tied to his elbows and hung, having his head covered with a bag filled with petrol, and forced to drink alcohol.

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