Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Saturday ordered an investigation into the death of two Jaffna University students who were gunned down by police in the country’s Tamil-dominated Northern Province.
Two students of the university were shot dead by police on Friday, prompting authorities to arrest five police officials. The policemen were produced in court on Saturday and will remain under remand custody until November 4.
Mr. Sirisena instructed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to immediately investigate the incident. He also pledged compensation for the students.
The students riding a motorcycle were shot dead at a police road check point at Kokuvil, Kulappidy junction in Jaffna on Friday.
Police initially denied the possibility of a shooting and said the motorcycle had hit a wall causing fatal injuries. However, a post-mortem had found bullet cartridges in one of the bodies.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) had on Friday sought an independent investigation into the shooting incident.
Status of Buddhism
Also, on Friday, Mr. Sirisena said the foremost place accorded to Sri Lanka’s majority religion of Buddhism will be preserved in its new Constitution.
“Buddhism’s position, coming since 1972, will not be changed,” Mr. Sirisena told a religious gathering in the eastern port district of Trincomalee on Friday.
Dismissing the Opposition claims that Buddhism’s position in the country is to be diluted in the new Constitution, Mr. Sirisena said: “We have not finalised anything yet.”
