Women’s groups protest in Vavuniya accusing govt. of delaying investigations into death of underage worker

By Dinasena Ratugamage

Women’s groups in Vavuniya held a demonstration on Saturday evening accusing the government of delaying the investigation into the death of J. Ilashlini, the 16 -year-old girl who died while working at SJB MP Rishad Bathiudeen’s residence in Colombo 07.

Representatives of the organisations said that they had been observing the pace of the investigations as well as claims being made by political parties about the death. It was becoming increasingly clear that the political and the law enforcement officials were not interested in having justice served.

They alleged that Opposition political parties were even against the exhumation of the body of the victim. It was an indication that those parties were against a transparent investigation. Therefore, women’s movements in the North would continue to demonstrate until justice was served, they said.