Fresh probe into death of maid in Welikada police custody

The CID informed the Colombo Magistrate that they have started a fresh probe into the death of a housemaid who died mysteriously after being arrested and while being in the custody of the Welikada police.

CID Chief Inspector Madawa Gunawardena made this assertion before Colombo Additional Magistrate Harshana Kakunawela during the magisterial inquiry.

Detective Gunawardena also said that detectives are conducting further investigations to ascertain whether the death was normal or murder and said the CID will file their findings before the court on the next inquiry date.  

However, Attorney-at-law Manjula Pathiraja, appearing with a team of lawyers including Achala Senaviratne, Senaka Perera, H.A. Hemasiri Perera, Ranjive Bandara, W. Theja and Thambiah Jeyasivaratnaraja on behalf of the aggrieved husband of the diseased, informed the Magistrate that the husband of the deceased has prepared an affidavit and pleaded court to conduct investigations based on the information in the affidavit. He also said the death of R. Rajkumari was suspicious and that her husband, Selvadurai Jesuraj deserves an explanation to her cause of death.

Hence, the Magistrate asked Mr. Pathiaja to hand over the affidavit to the investigating officer of the CID. Further inquiry was postponed to 22 July 2023. (T. Farook Thajudeen)