Death of suspect in police cell:

IGP transfers three policemen

Kapila Somaratne, - Panadura group corr

An Inspector, a sergeant and two police constables of Wadduwa Police were transferred from midnight yesterday on the orders of Inspector General of Police N K Illangakoon. Inspector Nimal Karunaratne was transferred to Mount Lavinia Police while the other policemen were transferred to the Mirihana Police. The transfers were made by the Inspector General of Police following the death of a man in the Wadduwa Police cell.

Chandrasiri Nimal Dahanayake, 32, of Talpitiya South, Wadduwa, a father of three, was taken into Wadduwa Police custody on Sunday morning for possessing two ganja cigars. He was later found dead in the Wadduwa Police cell.

On the instructions of Western Province South Deputy Inspector General of Police, Panadura Division Senior Police Superintendent of Police H M Dharmasena instructed a special team to investigate Dahanayake's death.

The magisterial inquiry into the death will be held tomorrow in the Panadura magistrate court. The victim was a witness in a fundamental right case filed by a hotel owner in Wadduwa against the Wadduwa Police OIC.