A businessman was brutally assaulted by two off-duty Sri Lankan police officers, who reportedly under the influence of alcohol, in the Mayilampaveli area of Eravur, Batticaloa, on 18 February around 7 p.m.
The incident occurred when the businessman, travelling on his motorcycle from Vandarumulai towards Batticaloa, overtook another motorbike near the Grama Sevaka office in Mayilampaveli. The vehicle he overtook was ridden by the two off-duty police officers, who, enraged by the manoeuvre, stopped the businessman and accused him of reckless driving.
Identifying themselves as police officers, the two men then proceeded to violently assault him, repeatedly beating him with a helmet, leaving him with severe injuries. Local residents who witnessed the attack intervened and prevented the officers from fleeing the scene, immediately contacting the police emergency hotline.
A team from occupying Eravur police station arrived in a three-wheeler and, upon conducting an initial inquiry, discovered that the two officers were heavily intoxicated. They instructed the drunk policemen to follow them to the police station on their motorcycle. However, as they neared the station, the officers took an alternate route and reportedly managed to escape custody.
Following the attack, the injured businessman filed a formal complaint, prompting an investigation by the Sri Lankan police. Legal action is now being pursued against the accused officers.
This incident comes just days after a police officer from the Sri Lankan police station was taken into custody for sexually harassing Tamil schoolgirls.
