Seven PNB personnel arrested over death of vocational trainer in custody

Seven personnel of the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB), including a Sub-Inspector, have been arrested over the death of a Vocational Training Officer in police custody.

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 10 January, 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. 

Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa, on 12 January, however, 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.