Suspect dies after being handed over to Kobeigane Police; five villagers arrested

Newswire reports that villagers apprehended a man in the Beddegama area of Kobeigane on October 25 and handed him to Kobeigane Police. The report says he was suspected of involvement in several thefts.

Newswire reports that the man remained in police custody for two days before being taken to Nikaweratiya Hospital on October 27, where he later died. Ada Derana’s headline also reports the death of a suspect who had been in Kobeigane Police custody, but provides no further details in the material supplied.

Newswire reports that police arrested five villagers who had apprehended the man and handed him over. Hiru News reports that four people were arrested in Kobeigane, without further details in the supplied report.

Newswire says relatives of the arrested villagers maintained that the man was handed to police without injuries. They said villagers tied him to a tree after apprehending him, notified police within an hour and then handed him over. The relatives also questioned why he was not taken to hospital sooner if he had been injured, and said police had previously been told about alleged thefts and had directed residents to apprehend him and hand him over.