Three more police personnel arrested over housemaid’s custodial death
September 1, 2023 02:23 pm
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested three more police personnel in connection with the custodial death of R. Rajakumari, the police said.
Accordingly, two Police Sergeants and a Constable who are under arrest will be produced before the Aluthkade Court today (01 Sep) by the Homicide Unit of the CID.
Meanwhile, on 29 August, the Sub-Inspector of the Welikada Police arrested in connection with the housemaid’s death was remanded until 11 September, on orders of the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.
41-year-old R. Rajakumari, a resident of Badulla, was arrested on 11 May based on a complaint made by her employer, famed producer Sudharma Nethicumara, claiming that she had stolen gold jewellery belonging to her.
She had later died while in the custody of the Welikada Police. Her relatives raised suspicions, alleging that she had been subjected to assault.
On 25 August, the Colombo Additional Magistrate Harshana Kekunawala ordered the CID to arrest the suspects linked to the housemaid’s death.
The verdict was delivered after careful examination of evidence and the findings in the post-mortem report submitted by the Judicial Medical Officer. Accordingly, the cause of death was ruled as hemorrhagic shock caused by damage to the deceased’s muscles after being attacked with a blunt weapon or similar force.
Further investigations into the incident are conducted by the CID under the supervision of its Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Meryl Ranjan Lamahewa.
