Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya convened a special meeting on May 10th at the Prime Minister’s Office to address the tragic death of a child in Kotahena. The meeting was attended by the police investigation team handling the case and the child’s parents.
During the session, the Prime Minister instructed the police to conduct an impartial, accurate, and swift investigation into the incidents that occurred both at the school and the tuition class. Dr. Amarasuriya also announced that the Ministry of Education is conducting an internal inquiry to assess the efficiency of the procedures followed immediately after the incident was reported.
Recognizing the poor coordination among state institutions responsible for intervening in child abuse cases and the inadequate responses to child victims, the Prime Minister appointed a three-person committee, chaired by Consultant Paediatrician Dr. Ashwini Fernando, to formalize these mechanisms.
The meeting was also attended by Minister of Health and Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj, and Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijayapala.
Meanwhile, a controversy arose on social media regarding the alleged blurring of a photograph of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the background of the discussion. While the image of Mr. Rajapaksa was visible in media broadcasts, the photograph released by the Prime Minister’s Media Unit appeared to have obscured it.
