Police investigations regarding Jaffna University students who lowered the national flag and hoisted black flags on Independence Day

The Jaffna District Crime Prevention Division has summoned three university student leaders to record statements regarding the incident where the national flag hoisted on the Jaffna University premises was lowered and a black flag was raised instead, on Sri Lanka's 78th Independence Day, which fell recently.

This summons has been communicated in writing through the Registrar of the University of Jaffna, and accordingly, statements are to be recorded from three student representatives, including the President of the Jaffna University General Students' Union and the President of the Faculty of Arts Students' Union.

As a protest against the National Independence Day celebration that fell on February 4th, a group of students removed the national flag displayed on the university grounds and raised a black flag instead, marking their protest.

Using photographs and video footage taken at the time of the incident as evidence, police officers have already visited the university and have extensively questioned the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar, recording their statements.

Against such a backdrop, with the summons issued to student union representatives to appear at the police station to give statements regarding this incident, a fear has arisen among students that they will be arrested, and due to this, there has been significant discussion and an uneasy situation among university students.