Lawlessness

Oct 02, 2011 (LBO) - Five police officers have been arrested in Sri Lanka after thousands of angry citizens surrounded a police station seeking justice, where a suspect had died in custody, a media report said.









Sri Lanka's The Sunday Times newspaper said an estimated 3,000 civilians had surrounded a police station in Dompe in Sri Lanka's Western Province near the capital, and damaged public property following the death of Gayan Nilan, a 28-year old father of one in custody.

"They set fire to the Police station and destroyed the record room, 16 vehicles, information books and furniture," the newspaper said.

The Sunday Times said five police officials have been arrested and the entire staff of the police station transferred.

The newspaper quoted police chief N K Illangakoon as saying that further action would follow following a criminal investigation.

The newspaper quoted a senior criminal investigation officer as saying that detectives are questioning police officers and civilians "to determine the circumstance under which the suspect died.

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Dead on Arrival

Police had claimed that the suspect in a case involving a stolen water pump had "died after jumping out of the vehicl