Sri Lanka's government announced a way forward budget for 2024 last week signaling the fiscal policy consistency for the first time with economic benefits trickling down from the top to the bottom, former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said.
Acting commissioner general of inland revenue Upul Jayawardena has clarified the budget proposal which makes it mandatory to mention a tax number when opening a current account, seeking approval for a building plan or registering a vehicle or a property.
The National Building and Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued a ‘Red’ (Level 3) early landslide warning for several localities in Kegalle District.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) says it unequivocally rejects the ‘baseless and malicious’ allegations made by the Minister of Sports Roshan Ranasinghe, during a media conference.
Maligakanda Magistrate Lochana Abeyewickrema yesterday (20) ordered four people including the director of the Medical Supplies Division of the Health Ministry, Dr. Kapila Wickramanayaka to be remanded until November 29 over the substandard immunoglobulin vials import case.
SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa asked in parliament yesterday (20) if a state policy could be challenged in court.
Multiple injuries had been found on the body of a Tamil youth from the war-affected north of Sri Lanka who died in custody.
His family believes that timely intervention by the country’s human rights commission would have helped save his life from police torture.
Nagarasa Alex was arrested on the 8th November by Police in Vaddukoddai and remanded by the Mallakkam magistrate court two days later.
He was found dead when brought to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital on Sunday (19).
“There were multiple injuries (abrasions and contusions) noted in the back of the trunk, both upper limbs and both lower limbs. These were no natural diseases directly or indirectly contributing to this death,” Dr. Uruthirapasupathy Mayorathan, Consultant Forensic Pathologist, Jaffna Teaching Hospital wrote in his report.
Dr. Mayorathan who is also the Judicial Medical Officer of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital says the case is “under investigation”.
The postmortem examination was ordered by Jaffna Magistrate A.A Anandarajah.
26 years old Alex was arrested by the police on burglary charges.
Family members of the deceased complain the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) did not take action in the proper way. His mother had complained to the HRCSL office in Jaffna on the 10th about her son being arrested and taken away for inquiry.
Nagarasa Alex was produced before the Mallakam magistrate court which ordered the suspect to be held under detention.
In a video posted by Tamil activists on social media, the deceased Nagarasa Alex purportedly speaks about the torture including waterboarding and severe assault by the police.
“Police arrested me on suspicion and beat me severely. My hands were tied behind and my face was covered and beat me repeatedly pouring water repeatedly. I was hanged upside down and beaten. Then they covered my face with a petrol choked plastic bag and beat me. I fell unconscious. Now I can’t lift both my hands. I was not given food on the first day. Next day they took me to their room and said not to file any case with the HRCSL. Then they gave me one packet of arrack to drink”.
Two persons including Nagarasa Alex were arrested in connection with a burglary in Vaddukoddai recently. Family members of the deceased told local journalists they were very much worried from the time he was arrested.
Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara emphasized that the time has come to ditch all forms of extremism and chauvinism and think of Sri Lanka as one nation, one people in order to achieve development and national unity.
Around 5,000 incidents of crime against children are reported each year, said senior DIG in charge of western province Deshabandu Tennakoon.
The Election Commission has estimated a Rs. 31 billion expenditure for three national elections due next year, said its commissioner general Saman Sri Ratnayake.
