Ex-military commander 'threatened to pulverise' schoolboy

Police in Sri Lanka have recieved a complaint of a serious threat to a schoolboy by an ex military commander who allegedly 'supervised the killing' of the Tamil Tiger leader's 12 year old son in May 2009, while in custody.

Major General Kamal Gunaratne has threatened to 'pulverise' a 16 year old student from a leading boys school in the capital according to the boy's statement recorded by Cinnamon Garden police.

The schoolboy from DS Senanayake college was intimidated while he was having a break from sitting the GCE (OL) examinations on 14 December.

"I will pulverise your bones," Major General Gunaratne who was accompanied by a group of men had threatened the young student while grabbing his throat in broad daylight.

The terrified schoolboy saved by a teacher was later unable to concentrate on his examinations, says the country's leading teachers union.

The ex military commander has threatened the boy following a scuffle in school with the ex commander's nephew, Ceylon Teachers Union General Secretary Joseph Stalin told JDS.

Eyewitness

While denying that he had made a threat, Kamal Gunaratne has told some journalists in Colombo that his nephew has also made a complaint to police of harrasment by the young student.

"Eye witness accounts and CCTV recordings will establish the truth, in an impartial investigation," said Joseph Stalin.

Balachandran

Major General Gunaratne is accused for ordering the killing of many Tamils in custody including Tamil Tiger leader’s son Prabhakaran Balachandran in the final stages of the civil war.

JDS had earlier published photographs taken in 2009 May, which provides credible evidence that Balachandran was summarily executed.

One of them shows the boy sitting in a military  bunker, alive and unharmed. Another, a few hours later, shows the boy’s body lying on the ground, his chest pierced by bullets.

He had handed himself over to the 53rd brigade led by Major General Kamal Gunaratne at the end of the war.

© JDS