Activists for Human Rights (AFHR) today alleged that the Jaffna Police attempted to influence family members to conduct the funeral of Mariadas Navis Dilrukshan, this evening

AFHR Executive Committee Member Udul Premarathne said the Jaffna Police officials had requested the Jaffna Magistrate to issue a court order to prevent a large crowd from attending Dilrukshana’s funeral.

However, the Jaffna Magistrate had refused to issue such an court order and had advised the family to hold the funeral according to their wishes.

Dilrukshan, a resident of Tathaypoor in Jaffna, was one of the 30 prisoners, who had to be hospitalised after being injured in the Vavuniya Prisons riot. He died on August 8 while being treated at the Ragama Hospital

Meanwhile, Police media spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana confirmed the fact that the Jaffna Police had obtained a court order. However, he said it was not obtained with the intention of influencing the family to hold the funeral today, but to prevent the funeral from being made a political commotion.

“The funeral will be held tomorrow but political rallies or speeches have been prohibited to be held concurrent with the funeral,” he added.(Lakna Paranamanna)