PM assures impartial probe on Jaffna killing

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today assured Parliament that an independent inquiry would be conducted into the deaths of the two Jaffna University students.

He said investigations would be carried out in a transparent manner and highlighted the fact that the incident had come as a shock to all of them.

The Prime Minister was responding to a question asked by Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan on the tragedy. He demanded for an independent investigation to bring the perpetrators to book and said his party was concerned about this case because previous high profile criminal cases never led to any conviction.

Mr. Sampanthan thanked the government for the initial steps it had taken in arresting the five police personnel allegedly involved in the incident. He said the two students were travelling on a motorcycle when they met with this tragedy. He asked how the rider had gunshot injuries whereas the pillion rider died is said to have died in the crash if the police had fired at the back of the fleeing motorcyclists. (Kelum Bandara and Yohan Perera)