Colombo DIG Champika Siriwardena has launched an investigation into the mysterious death of a robbery suspect in a cell at the Mattakkuliya Police station.
The 26-year-old suspect named Janaka Gomez had entered a house in Kadirana in the wee hours of August 10 with intent to rob.
When a woman sleeping on the third floor of the house had been awakened by his presence and raised the alarm, the robber had escaped through a window.
Neighbours who rushed to the scene had reportedly caught the suspect and handed him over to the Mattakkuliya Police which was summoned to scene on the Police hotline.
However, it was reported that the suspect had died in his cell between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on the following day.
A spokesmen for the Mattakkuliya Police said the suspect was detained in the Police cell to be produced in Court the following day as he did not show any injuries. However, relatives have alleged that the death was caused due to Police assault.
The DIG said there had been 8 other suspects held in the Police cell when the suspect was brought there.
All these suspects when questioned had said that he did not show any discomfort and since he was silent they thought he was in deep slumber. The DIG said although there were no signs of any Police assault on the suspects body the failure on the part of Mattakkuliya Police to show a suspect fallen from a third floor building to a doctor for a medical examination was a questionable matter.