72 year old man in fiery protest

Retired Army person who set himself on fire ...   in front of Colpetty Police .... for Navaneedan Pillai to take notice

A man had been involved in a protest in front of the American Embassy and after having been evacuated from that place had set himself on fire in front of the Colpetty Police. This person who sustained severe injuries made those who witnessed the drama admit him to the Colombo National Hospital.

This 72 year old Selmura Withanage Piyasena, a resident of Kalapaluwawa, Rajagiriya had served the Sri Lanka Army for a period of 21 years and then retired.

Protesting against War Crimes issued against Sri Lanka by Navaneedan Pillai, former High Commissioner of United Nations Human Rights, he had set himself on fire, it is learned.

It is reported that though he had planned to set himself on fire to express his protest over this issue in front of the American Embassy, as police officers in front of the embassy office had removed him from there, he had poured petrol on his body and set fire by coming in front of Colpetty Police.

Navaneedan Pillai, Mangala Samaraweera, Nimalka Fernando and the American Embassy Office have been named among those against whom he had aired his protest.

The police have also found a secret letter written by the victim to the Hon. President Mahinda Rajapaksha under sealed cover which has been handed over to President Security to be delivered to the President.

Hospital sources said that about seventy per cent of Mr. Piyasena's body has been burned and destroyed.

Colpetty Police are conducting further investigations over this matter.