It is reported that the services of M.R.S. Prajan Senanayake, the Headquarters Inspector (HQI) of the Homagama Police Station, have been suspended with immediate effect. This action follows allegations of failure to provide proper supervision and dereliction of duty in connection with the death of a suspect who was being held in custody at the Homagama Police Station.
On October 25, a suspect named P.D. Ishara Harsha Kumara was arrested by a team of officers from the Homagama Police Station on charges of possessing 490 milligrams of the synthetic drug ‘Ice’ (crystal methamphetamine). The young man was subsequently admitted to the Homagama Hospital with injuries sustained while in police custody, where he later passed away.
Investigations into the incident revealed that the Headquarters Inspector had committed serious acts of dereliction of duty, leading to his immediate suspension from service. This action has been taken based on allegations that, while the suspect was being held in a detention cell, no proper oversight was exercised—specifically, the suspect’s condition was not adequately checked, no inquiries were made regarding his status, and no proper instructions were provided to the investigating officers for further action; furthermore, there was a failure to verify whether the records pertaining to the arrest had been entered correctly.