Date | 20 October 2016 |
---|---|
Venue | Kokkuvil, Sri Lanka |
Participants | V. Sulakshan, N. Gajan and Sri Lanka Police |
Deaths | Two |
Sri Lankan Tamil students V. Sulakshan and N. Gajan were shot dead by police in Kokkuvil in northern Sri Lanka on the night of 20 October 2016. [1] [2]
Vijayakumar [a] Sulakshan [b] was 24 years old and from Kandarodai. [3] [4] Nadarajah [c] Gajan was 23 years old and from Iranaimadu. [3] [4] [5] Both men were third year students at the University of Jaffna's Faculty of Arts and were studying political science and journalism. [3] [4] [6]
On the night of 20 October 2016 Gajan attended a social event at Sulakshan's house in Jaffna. [4] After the event Sulakshan was returning Gajan to his student hostel in Chunnakam on a motorcycle when, at around 11.30pm, the pair were shot by police at Kulapiddy junction on the Jaffna-KKS Road in Kokkuvil. [3] [4] According to the police the students had failed to stop at a police roadblock at the junction and sped off. [4] [7] The police opened fire, hitting the rider, Sulakshan, twice in the head and killing him. [4] [7] The motorcycle rammed into a parapet wall on the roadside which resulted in serious injuries to the passenger, Gajan. [4] The police claimed that the students were under the influence of alcohol. [4] [7] [8]
Sulakshan and Gajan were rushed to Jaffna Teaching Hospital where Sulakshan was pronounced dead whilst Gajan succumbed to his injuries shortly afterwards. [4]
A tense situation prevailed in the area after the incident as other students surrounded the hospital's mortuary. [5] The news of the shooting was suppressed by the police and it was not until the following night that the event was reported in Sri Lanka's national media. [3] [4] The police initially denied that there was a shooting, claiming that the two deaths were accidental. [3] [4] [9] This led to accusations of a police cover-up. [3] [10] [11] [12]
On the morning of 21 October 2016, Jaffna Magistrate S. Satheeshkaran arrived at the scene of the shooting to begin a magisterial inquiry. [4] Post-mortems were carried out that afternoon and initial reports suggested that bullets were found in the victims' bodies. [3] [4] Sulakshan was reported to have been shot three times and had injuries to his chest, neck and spine. [3] Gajan was reportedly shot at least once. [3] According to the official Judicial Medical Officer's report, Sulakshan was killed by a shot in the chest and Gajan died of head injuries sustained during the crash into the wall. [9] [13] The students bodies were returned to their parents but they were ordered to bury them rather than cremate. [5]
After the post-mortem contradicted the police's earlier statement, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department were sent to take over the investigation. [14] [15] On 22 October 2016 five police personnel, a sub-inspector, a sergeant, two constables and a driver, were arrested and repremanded until 4 November 2016. [5] [16] [17]
Expressing grief over the deaths, President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena ordered an impartial inquiry and compensation for the students' parents. [18] [19] The shooting was condemned by the Tamil National Alliance, the largest political party representing Sri Lankan Tamils. [20] [21] [22]
Date | 20 October 2016 |
---|---|
Venue | Kokkuvil, Sri Lanka |
Participants | V. Sulakshan, N. Gajan and Sri Lanka Police |
Deaths | Two |
Sri Lankan Tamil students V. Sulakshan and N. Gajan were shot dead by police in Kokkuvil in northern Sri Lanka on the night of 20 October 2016. [1] [2]
Vijayakumar [a] Sulakshan [b] was 24 years old and from Kandarodai. [3] [4] Nadarajah [c] Gajan was 23 years old and from Iranaimadu. [3] [4] [5] Both men were third year students at the University of Jaffna's Faculty of Arts and were studying political science and journalism. [3] [4] [6]
On the night of 20 October 2016 Gajan attended a social event at Sulakshan's house in Jaffna. [4] After the event Sulakshan was returning Gajan to his student hostel in Chunnakam on a motorcycle when, at around 11.30pm, the pair were shot by police at Kulapiddy junction on the Jaffna-KKS Road in Kokkuvil. [3] [4] According to the police the students had failed to stop at a police roadblock at the junction and sped off. [4] [7] The police opened fire, hitting the rider, Sulakshan, twice in the head and killing him. [4] [7] The motorcycle rammed into a parapet wall on the roadside which resulted in serious injuries to the passenger, Gajan. [4] The police claimed that the students were under the influence of alcohol. [4] [7] [8]
Sulakshan and Gajan were rushed to Jaffna Teaching Hospital where Sulakshan was pronounced dead whilst Gajan succumbed to his injuries shortly afterwards. [4]
A tense situation prevailed in the area after the incident as other students surrounded the hospital's mortuary. [5] The news of the shooting was suppressed by the police and it was not until the following night that the event was reported in Sri Lanka's national media. [3] [4] The police initially denied that there was a shooting, claiming that the two deaths were accidental. [3] [4] [9] This led to accusations of a police cover-up. [3] [10] [11] [12]
On the morning of 21 October 2016, Jaffna Magistrate S. Satheeshkaran arrived at the scene of the shooting to begin a magisterial inquiry. [4] Post-mortems were carried out that afternoon and initial reports suggested that bullets were found in the victims' bodies. [3] [4] Sulakshan was reported to have been shot three times and had injuries to his chest, neck and spine. [3] Gajan was reportedly shot at least once. [3] According to the official Judicial Medical Officer's report, Sulakshan was killed by a shot in the chest and Gajan died of head injuries sustained during the crash into the wall. [9] [13] The students bodies were returned to their parents but they were ordered to bury them rather than cremate. [5]
After the post-mortem contradicted the police's earlier statement, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department were sent to take over the investigation. [14] [15] On 22 October 2016 five police personnel, a sub-inspector, a sergeant, two constables and a driver, were arrested and repremanded until 4 November 2016. [5] [16] [17]
Expressing grief over the deaths, President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena ordered an impartial inquiry and compensation for the students' parents. [18] [19] The shooting was condemned by the Tamil National Alliance, the largest political party representing Sri Lankan Tamils. [20] [21] [22]