Nuwara-Eliya SSP’s office commences separate probe into Ilashini’s death

By Nalaka Ratnayake and Saman Indrajith

The Nuwara Eliya SSP’s office too has commenced an investigation on the death of J. Ilashini, the 16 -year-old girl who died while working at SJB MP Rishad Bathiudeen’s residence.

A team led by an ASP has been appointed to lead its probe.

The ASP yesterday took statements from Rajamanikkam Ranjani, the mother of Ilashini and Jeyaraj Jude Kumar, the victim’s father.

After giving the statement Kumar said Ilashini had been sent to the SJB MP’s house in November 2020 by a person known to them, he said.

He also said that it was unlikely for her to kill herself.

Ranjani told the media that the family had taken a Rs. 30,000 loan from a local businessman. Within a month of missing a loan repayment date the amount had climbed to Rs. 80,000, she said.

“A neighbour, Sankar said that he could find work for one of my daughters at MP Rishad Bathiudeen’s house. He said his daughter had worked there for four years and that it was a great place to work at. Ilashini volunteered to go. We didn’t like it but she said she could send us enough money to pay our debts,” she said.

Ranjini added that in mid-June, Ilashini called her and said that she no longer could work at the MP’s house. “She said that a man who worked at the house assaulted her. I felt that the wife of the MP, her mother and the boy who assaulted my daughter were watching her. Suddenly, the boy took the phone from her and said Ilashini talks back to the MP’s wife. Then the MP’s wife took the phone and said Ilashini worked slowly. I said I would come but because of the lockdown I could not go,” she said.

Ranjini said that on 03 July Ilashini had died under suspicious circumstances and the MP’s family had informed Sankar. However, Sankar had not informed Ilashini’s family.

“The Borella police called us around 3 pm. They asked us to come as soon as possible. I spoke to Sankar and we went to Colombo; my husband and our son who works in Awissawella and went to the MP’s house. His wife said Ilashini had tried to burn off a thread in a silk gown she was wearing and the gown had caught fire. They said they were asleep and Ilashini’s screams had woken them. She said my daughter came running to the living room with her clothes burning and her husband doused the fire by throwing a carpet onto her. She said when the ambulance came, she herself climbed in. However, when we went to the hospital they said they put her on life support within 30 minutes of her arrival. I don’t know what to believe. Ilashini wanted to be a nun,” she said.