Colombo Court Orders Exhumation and Post-Mortem Examination of Youth Who Died in Police Custody

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has ordered the Colombo Chief Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) to exhume the remains of a youth who reportedly died while in the custody of the Welikada Police earlier this month.

The order, issued today by Colombo Additional Magistrate Keminda Perera, instructs the JMO to conduct a full post-mortem examination through a committee of three specialist doctors. The findings from this examination are to be submitted to the court for further proceedings.

The youth, who sustained fatal injuries while under police custody, was admitted to the National Institute of Mental Health in Angoda, where he tragically passed away. The incident occurred in the early hours of April 2, 2025.

The decision to exhume the remains follows an appeal made by the aggrieved party, seeking a thorough investigation into the cause of death.

The Colombo Court’s order emphasizes the importance of a transparent and impartial inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the youth’s death while in police custody.