23 July 2010 04:12 am
Susantha Aruna Bandara, a third year student of the Ruhunu University had passed away last night as a result of the injuries he suffered following an assault by the police at the University premises last June, the Inter University Students Federation said.
According to IUSF Convener Udul Premaratne, the deceased student had suffered severe injuries after being assaulted by the police on June 18 while he was at the university hostel. “The students had gone to the hostel to collect their belongings under the permission of the university administration since the university was closed following a students protest on June 18,” he said.
“He had been unconscious for one and a half days. After being hospitalized at the Diyathalawa hospital for four days he was transferred to the Badulla hospital,” Mr. Premaratne said.
Subsequently the student had passed away last night after nearly one month of hospitalization for injuries to the head.
Meanwhile when contacted, police spokesman SP Prishantha Jayakody stated that a complaint had been lodged by the mother of the victim that he had been assaulted by a second year student at the university .