The body of a Tamil youth who was allegedly beaten to death while in Sri Lankan police custody is to be exhumed for a second autopsy.
In ordering the exhumation, a court in Eastern Sri Lanka accepted the contention of the family of the Tamil youth disputing the current official version about the cause of his death, jdslanka reported.
An earlier autopsy by the Special Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) said he died due to a drug overdose.
Chandran Vithushan (21) died while in police custody after he was brutally assaulted in front of his family members, before being taken to the police station on drug-related offences.
On 18 Friday, the Batticaloa Magistrate ruled that the body of Chandran Vithushan should be exhumed and sent for a second autopsy under the supervision of a leading forensic expert.
“The Magistrate court has delivered a historic judgment today. The court ordered that the body of Vithushan be exhumed and the autopsy be done again in the presence of the professor in Peradeniya University who is considered to be the foremost expert in this field. We welcome this.,” lawyer for the family, Kanagaratnam Suhas told journalists outside the court house.
Chandran Vithushan was taken into custody by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on the night of 3rd of June and informed the family of his death the next day morning,
