Investigation on detainees to be expedited

by Thava Sajitharan

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed the authorities to expedite the investigations concerning the Tamil youth arrested on suspicion and release them if they be found innocent, P. Radhakrushnan of the Upcountry Peoples Alliance who was sworn in as the Deputy Minister of Vocational Training and Technical Education last week told the 'Sunday Observer' .

Radhakrushnan took oaths before President Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on Thursday. He said when he met the President after the swearing-in, he called upon the President to take immediate measures to ensure the release of the innocent youth who were apprehended in the recent cordon and search operations conducted by the police.

In the wake of the bomb-explosions and other violent activities allegedly perpetrated by the LTTE in and around Colombo in the recent past, several people belonging to the Tamil community from various parts of the island were reported to have been taken into custody by the police.

The Tamil newspapers have been reporting such incidents and calling for the release of the innocent detainees.

The "President told me that he had given instructions to the Inspector General of Police to speed up the process of investigation in regard to this issue," Deputy Minister Radhakrushnan said."I explained to the President about the problems facing the Tamil youth in Colombo.

I told him that by freeing those who are found innocent immediately after the investigation, the fear lingering in the minds of Tamils living in Colombo can be removed".

"If the parents of the detainees submit all the documents such as birth certificate, identity card and letter from the Grama Sevaka Niladari it will be helpful to the police," he said.