Infant allegedly tied to chair and beaten for crying- suspect remanded

By Bhagya Silva

Colombo, June 23 (Daily Mirror) - A man accused of tying a nine-month-old infant to a chair and assaulting her with an umbrella handle and his hands for allegedly crying frequently was ordered to be remanded till July 3 by Colombo Additional Magistrate Lahiru Silva yesterday.

The suspect, a resident of Bastian Mawatha, Pettah, was arrested by the Pettah Police and produced before court.

Presenting the suspect before court, police informed the Magistrate that he allegedly tied the infant's hands, legs, and abdomen to a chair before assaulting her with what appeared to be the metal shaft of an umbrella as well as with his hands.

Police further stated that the arrest followed a complaint received by the Women and Children's Bureau after a member of the public allegedly witnessed the assault and reported the incident.

According to investigators, the suspect had been residing in Room No. 21 at the old Bastian Mawatha Bus Stand in Pettah.

The child's 23-year-old mother, a resident of Wariyapola, had travelled to Colombo a few days earlier with the child's father in search of employment. Police said the father later left the mother and infant in the care of the suspect while he went to look for work and failed to return for several days.

Police further informed the court that the mother alleged the suspect had assaulted the infant on a previous occasion as well. On the morning of June 21, at around 7.30 a.m., a witness allegedly observed the suspect assaulting the child and reported the incident to the Women and Children's Bureau.

The infant has since been admitted to the hospital for treatment.

Citing the seriousness of the alleged offences under the Penal Code and the ongoing investigation, police requested that the suspect be further remanded. The Magistrate ordered that the suspect be remanded till July 3.