Rambukkana shooting: Court to decide on issuing interim order on cops involved

The Court of Appeal ordered today (19) that the decision on whether it will issue or not an interim order suspending the order given by the Kegalle Magistrate’s Court regarding the police officers involved in Rambukkana shooting incident will be announced on August 30.

Kegalle Magistrate’s Court had recently ordered the four police officers including the former Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in charge of Kegalle, K. B. Keerthirathna to be arrested and remanded in custody, over the said incident.

The order was passed by the Appeals Court bench consisting of Judges Sobitha Rajakaruna and Dhammika Ganepola, after considering the writ petitions submitted by the police officers in question.

The bench has also directed the concerned parties to file any written submissions related to these petitions, before 05th of August.

When these petitions were considered today, Additional Solicitor General Vikum de Abrew, who appeared for the Attorney General, presented submissions before the court and urged the court to reject this request.

On 19th April a group of protestors gathered near a filling station in Rambukkana in the Kegalle District had continued to protest for two days, demanding fuel to be supplied at old prices. As a tense situation had ensued, the police had fired tear gas and later, as the situation escalated, they had used firearms to disperse the crowd resulting in the death of one person death and injuries to several protestors.