Cop arrested over Thihagoda firearm discharge further remanded

The Sub-Inspector (SI), who was arrested in connection with the firearm discharge in which a 15-year-old boy was critically injured last month, has been further remanded until December 02.

The 55-year-old police officer in question, whose services were suspended over the incident, was produced before Matara Chief Magistrate Isuru Neththikumara on Friday (Nov. 18).

During the proceedings of the case, the defence attorneys the chief magistrate to grant bail to their client.

However, the Assistance Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mahesh Kumara, who leads the police team probing the incident, raised strong objections to this request.

Taking the submissions into consideration, the chief magistrate ordered to further remand the suspect until December 02.

The accused was referred to an identification parade on November 04, during which four witnesses identified him.

The shooting had taken place at around 4.30 p.m. on October 28 in the area of Middewala, Thihagoda in Matara.

Three police officers spotted a three-wheeler being recklessly driven on the road and ordered it to stop immediately. It was reported that the three-wheeler driver initially heeded the command, however, he had started driving again as the police officers approached.

Police officers had then given a chase to the three-wheeler which later came to a stop while travelling along the Thihagoda-Kandepola road. It was later intercepted by the three police officers who were clad in civilian clothing.

The Sub-Inspector in question, who is also the officer-in-charge of the Thihagoda Police crimes division, had drew his weapon to the head of one of the boys who were inside the vehicle and commanded the group of five individuals to get down.

When the teen on whom the gun was drawn was getting down from the three-wheeler, the firearm of the Sub-Inspector was discharged, causing critical injuries to the 15-year-old’s head.

The injured boy, identified as Haresh Hasanka Deshan from Katuwanthuduwa area in Nayimbala, Matara, was rushed to the Matara District General Hospital soon after the incident and later transferred to Teaching Hospital in Karapitiya for further treatment.

A surgery was performed on the child to treat his head injury and another surgery was performed the following day to remove the blood clots remaining in his skull. On that day, hospital sources revealed that the child is in a stable condition at the moment having shown improvement from the time he was hospitalized.

The elder sister of the injured student said on Friday that he has been moved to a general ward from the intensive care unit, but he remains unconscious.