Jaffna Prison officer alleged of assaulting Sinhala doctor suspect, attacked

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 July 2010, 18:47 GMT]
A gang of more than eight persons arriving on motorcycles Saturday night at the residence of the Jaffna Prison officer, Nanthakumar alleged of assaulting the Sinhala doctor suspect in Jaffna prison, attacked him and damaged his household goods and furniture, according to a complaint made to Maanippaay police by Nanthakumar. Many persons including high Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officers and powerful political persons have been intimidating him and the attack Saturday night followed the intimidations, Nanthakumar said in his complaint.

Nanthakumar, 31, an official of Jaffna Prison and a resident of Aanaikkoaddai was the person who took the Sinhala doctor suspect in the killing of the family consultant nurse in Veala’nai hospital to his cell in Jaffna Prison when the suspect was to be placed in remand in Jaffna Prison.

The attack on Nanthakumar comes in the context of the Sinhala doctor suspect, Thilagaratne, claiming that he was assaulted in Jaffna prison.

The attack by gangs of armed men arriving on motor cycles and assaulting persons is very much similar to incidents where paramilitary persons collaborating with SLA intelligence unit had killed many persons in Jaffna peninsula, residents in Jaffna said.