A Tamil man was killed in Koomankulam, Vavuniya, following a deadly police pursuit that has sparked widespread outrage and unrest among locals, prompting demands for justice and accountability.
The victim, identified as 58-year-old Ramasamy Anthonypillai, reportedly died on the spot after being pursued by two Sri Lankan traffic police officers on motorbikes around 10 PM. Eyewitnesses claim the officers began chasing Anthonypillai near a liquor outlet on Koomankulam Road and deliberately interfered with his motorcycle by obstructing a wheel, causing him to lose control and fall. The impact proved fatal.
Trigger warning. Graphic images below.
Furious over what they described as an act of police brutality, local youth and residents quickly gathered at the scene. In the ensuing chaos, they, demanded accountability and refused to allow the removal of Anthonypillai’s body or let the police officers to flee the scene.
The youth insisted that a magistrate must visit the scene before any further action could be taken.
The senior Superintendent of Police for Vavuniya eventually arrived and announced that the death would be recorded as a homicide, with a formal investigation to follow. He urged residents to permit the removal of the body.
However, the demonstrators remained defiant, citing deep-rooted mistrust in the Sri Lankan police force. Their demands for transparency and legal oversight were only partially met when a coroner arrived to conduct a preliminary inquiry at the scene. Only after this intervention was Anthonypillai’s body transported to the hospital in a police vehicle.
In a development that has raised further suspicion, residents reported finding an item at the scene marked with the name of a police officer, prompting renewed calls for accountability and concern over potential evidence tampering.
Following the confrontation, a significant security presence, including the Special Task Force (STF) and riot control units, was deployed across Koomankulam.
Sri Lanka’s occupying police and military forces have a long history of state violence, impunity, and systemic discrimination. This latest incident has only reinforced demands for an end to the Sri Lankan military occupation in the North-East.
