A Tamil youth from Nelliyadi, Jaffna, has filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) after being tortured in custody by the Sri Lankan police.
The incident is the latest in a long pattern of police brutality against Tamils, raising serious concerns about human rights violations in the North-East.
At a press conference in Jaffna, Nandakumar Illankeshwaran detailed his harrowing experience, stating that officers from the occupying Sri Lankan police station in Nelliyadi assaulted him, filed dubious charges, and inflicted severe injuries while he was in their custody.
According to Illankeshwaran, on February 18, he was standing near a temple close to his mother’s residence when police in a three-wheeler approached. Officers allegedly beat him without provocation, handcuffed him, and forcefully dragged him into the vehicle, pressing him under their legs. He was then taken to the police station in Nelliyadi, where he was accused of involvement in a wire-cutting theft—a charge he firmly denies.
During his detention, Illankeshwaran says he suffered severe injuries to his left arm due to the brutality of the officers. As his pain worsened, he was denied immediate medical attention but later admitted to Manthikai Hospital, before being transferred to Jaffna Teaching Hospital for further treatment.
While undergoing treatment, a judge from the Point Pedro Magistrate’s Court observed him via video call and granted him bail. His case has been scheduled for October.
Following his release, Illankeshwaran lodged a formal complaint with the Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), detailing the torture inflicted on him by the police.
Illankeshwaran, who works as a painter to support his family, said his broken arm has left him unable to work, worsening his financial hardship.
The Jaffna regional coordinator of the HRCSL, T. Kanagaraj, confirmed that the Nelliyadi police officers involved have been summoned for an inquiry on March 4 regarding the allegations.
The incident is the latest in a history of torture and arbitrary detention by Sri Lankan security forces against Tamils. Many in the North-East continue to face systematic police brutality, often with impunity and no justice.
Despite repeated international calls for accountability, Sri Lanka’s law enforcement agencies continue to use violence and coercion against Tamils.
