Parliament: Mano raises death of domestic aide in police custody

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena yesterday (24) told Parliament that regarding the death of domestic aide R. Rajakumari, in the custody of the Welikada police, nothing could be done outside the law.

The PM said so in response to Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) leader Mano Ganeshan’s request to exhume the body of the victim to pave the way for an impartial investigation.

The lawyers, representing the victim, have already requested for the exhumation of the body of the 42-year-old woman who died mysteriously, after being arrested and detained by police.

Welikada police had taken her into custody, on 11 May, after Sudharma Neththikumara, a businesswoman, complained that she suspected the maid of having stolen a ring, while being in her employment.

On 12 May, she had been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital, where she had been pronounced dead.

An open verdict on the death had been issued after the initial inquiry. The victim’s husband, Selvadurai Jesuraj, said that he saw his bleeding wife in police custody. The lawyers have repeatedly pointed out that there was no record of her arrest. They said that the absence of any official record is a mystery.