Twelve Navy personnel including two Lieutenant Commanders, charged in connection with a firing on fishermen last month, were produced in court on September 10 on a court order and have been remanded till September 16.
The two officers and ten sailors were arrested in connection with the assault on four fishermen and causing gun shot injuries on one of them in the sea off Pulmoddai coast on August 29. Following a B report filed by the Kuchchaveli Police, they were remanded till September 16 and handed over to the Trincomalee harbour police by the Trincomalee Chief Magistrate M. A. Mohamed Hamza.
The Chief Magistrate also ordered police to produce the suspects for an identification parade on that date. These Navy personnel belong to the Navy Eastern Command.
The Harbour Police in a ‘B’ report filed in court said fishermen Abdul Hameed Najabdeen (49), Mohamadu Anifa Mohamadu Aliyar (35) and Saheer Mohamadu Sameer of Jinnapuram, Pulmoddai had been assaulted and Saheer Mohamadu Sameer (19) had been inflicted with gunshot injuries in the sea off Pulmoddai in the wee hours of August 29.
Police said the boat belonging to the fishermen had one gun shot mark. The shooting had occurred because the fishermen had tried to escape in the boat ignoring a halt order. The fisherman with gun shot injuries had been given medical treatment and handed over to the Kuchchaveli police.
The police report also said the fishermen subjected to assault did not possess anything illegal. Rs 50,000 found in their possession was also handed over to the Kuchchaveli police along with the fishermen by the Navy personnel. Further investigations are continuing directed by OIC Harbour Police Jagath Amarawansa.
Courtesy: Daily News
