W’pola girl seeks compensation from police

By S.S. Selvanayagam
The girl who was allegedly harassed by a youth at the Wariyapola Bus Terminus filed a fundamental rights petition against the police officers seeking one million rupees as compensation.

"The girl said when she and her friend arrived at the Wariyapola Terminus a person identified as Chandra Kumara approached her and requested her telephone number but she refused to give it to him"

 Petitioner Thilini Amalka cited Chandra Kumara alias Selva, Woman Police Constable Abeysinghe, Wariyapola Police OIC, Kurunegala SSP, the DIG, the IGP and the Attorney General as respondents.
The girl who works in a garment factory at Navinna said when she and her friend arrived at the Wariyapola Terminus on August 9 a person later identified as Chandra Kumara approached her and requested her telephone number but she refused to give it to him.
She said this person then pestered and harassed her and being unable to bear it up she and her friend had followed this person and slapped him.
The girl said she lodged a complaint to the Women and Children’s Unit at the Police Headquarters on August 23 stating what happened. Two days after her complaint, she received a telephone call from the Wariyapola Police OIC asking her to come to the police station and record her statement.
At the police station she was asked to stay back and her two lawyers and rights activists who accompanied her were asked to leave.  She said she believed that the OIC was of the view the person at the bus terminus had been attacked much more than what could be termed as reasonable and she was arrested. The girl said she was only trying to protect her modesty and avoid falling prey to his sexual motives.
She said she was forced to undergo a medical examination without her consent and that whatever document she might have signed was done under duress. She seeks the Court to declare that her fundamental right to equality and equal protection of the law and right not to be discriminated on the basis of sex as well as the right to the freedom from arbitrary arrest have been infringed by the respondent police officers.