Principal, Cops in Millaniya child torture case granted bail

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The principal of the Millaniya Primary School, the Millaniya Police Inspector, and a Police Sergeant who were arrested and remanded for torturing children, were released on bail by Colombo Additional Magistrate Keminda Perera.

The suspects were released on two personal bails of Rs. 1 million each.

They were arrested by the National Child Protection Authority for allegedly torturing several Grade 5 students at the Millaniya Primary School for allegedly stealing the wallet of a school teacher.

The President's Counsel who appeared for the suspects made submission in court, and thereafter the Additional Magistrate granted bail.

Counsel for the National Child Protection Authority appearing in court said that the investigations into the incident are almost complete.

Counsel also said that the parents, and custodians of the students who were allegedly tortured have not given their consent for the students to be produced to a Judicial Medical Officer.

The case will be called up again on the 18th of January 2023.

Several Grade Five students from the Millaniya Primary School in Horana were accused of stealing money from the bag of a school teacher and were punished by the school teachers, and the teachers themselves handed over the students to the local police.

Parents allege that students were taken away by police to be intimidated by electric shock treatment inside the Police Jeep, and dropped back at the school.

Two boys who were victims of the abuse told News 1st that the police officers took them away in a jeep and threatened them with electric shocks to reveal the truth, and thereafter dropped them back at school.

Two Police officers and a school principal were remanded for torturing grade five students at the Millaniya Primary School in Horana.

The Principal of the Millaniya Gangamuwa Primary School, the Deputy Principal, a Police Inspector, a Police Sergeant, and a Police Constable was summoned to the National Child Protection Authority on 8th November to record a statement over the child torturing incident.

They were grilled for more than five hours and were later produced to the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court.

Three suspects were remanded by the Colombo Additional Magistrate, while the Deputy Principal and the Police Constable were released on bail.