The Rights Of Minorities

A Sinhala Inspector of Police, Saminda Pinthu, in charge of the SL Police stationed at Kanakaayan-ku'lam in Vavuniyaa North went amok on a Tamil family Sunday night, causing severe injuries to a 14-year-old girl. The SL Police Inspector was also attacking her elder brother who intervened to safeguard their mother, whose clothes were being torn by him. The mother was attempting to protect her husband while the police inspector was attacking her husband. Samindu targeted the family for demanding their lands back from a trader who had initially obtained the property of the family on a lease. The trader, a Buddhist, is running a restaurant backed by the Sinhala police. 

Tamil residents of Kanakaraayan-ku'lam have called for a protest on Tuesday against the criminal conduct of the SL Police, which was backing the illegal encroachment. 

The landowner family has repeatedly been urging the SL Police to act against the trader who refused to vacate the place upon the termination of the contract. The trader has also not paid the rent, the family said.

However, the SL police were taking the side of the trader. The family was targeted for its resistance against the illegal occupation of its lands by continuing to plant coconut saplings in the lands. 

The 14-year-old girl, Kirija Vasanthakumar, was rushed to Maangku'lam hospital and transferred to Ki'linochchi hospital as she was bleeding with stomach injuries. 

Her father, P. Vasanthakumar, is a former LTTE member. 

The family said the attack carried out by the Sinhala Police Inspector was a premeditated police crime. 

Saminda Pinthu had come to the locality earlier in the day and silently witnessed the family being engaged at work in their land. Later, he had come to the location and was hiding inside the shop before attacking the family in the night.