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‘I was happy to be free but sad to leave my friends behind’
After more than five months of detention under the LTTE in Kilinochchi, one of the NCPA officers is set free
By N. Dilshath Banu
The National Child Protection Authority police officer who was freed recently by the LTTE has mixed emotions about his release as he is happy to be back home but sad to leave behind his colleagues who are still in LTTE custody.
“I was happy when I heard that the LTTE was finally sending me home. But when I said goodbye to my colleagues my happiness was clouded by their sadness,” K.A. D. Sarath told The Sunday Times.

The NCPA team’s ordeal began about five months ago when they were pursuing a British paedophile. On September 7, the NCPA team comprising five police constables three males and two females in civvies and an NCPA officer along with a driver began their pursuit of the paedophile.

However, the operation backfired when the team unwittingly entered an uncleared area. Reserve Sub Inspector Bandujeewa Bopitigama, and Police Constables K.A.D Sarath and Dilup Hemantha were consequently taken into custody by the LTTE.

“Once the LTTE officers took us in, they said they would get a statement from us as we had entered their area without permission and we would be released the next day. But the next day dawned the next and the next until eventually the days turned into months as they told us they needed more clarification about our entry into their occupied area. We were later detained in prison,” Sarath said.

The three officers faced 11 LTTE court sessions. The first one was held on September 12 last year, and the last on January 17 this year.

While the court procedure dragged on the three police officers managed to pass their time. Their day would begin at about seven in the morning followed by breakfast. They were also allowed to listen to the radio and read the papers. They also had the facility of recreational activities including playing badminton, chess, and carom. Sometimes they even played Volleyball with LTTE members.

“We didn’t realise that we had stepped into an uncleared area. However we were not worried or afraid when we were apprehended by the LTTE because we knew we were only doing our duty. We were also well looked after by the LTTE. But our only worry was about our families,” he said.

Sarath is also optimistic that his two colleagues would be released soon. “This Tuesday, there will be a court hearing in Killinochchi for my colleagues, and I believe they will be released on that day,” he said.

Meanwhile NCPA Police unit Chief OIC Wijesena said as in the past, they were doing everything to get the other two police officers released. They have also appealed to the Defence Ministry to intervene he said.

Meanwhile an officer from the International Committee of the Red Cross said they would continue to visit the other two police officers, as they had done in the past, till they are released.

Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission spokesperson Helen Olafsdottir said they had no authority to force the LTTE to release the other two officers. “We can only be patient and pressurise the LTTE to release them,” she said.

No happy b’day this year
While there was relief all round after one NCPA officer was released, the family of one of the officers still in LTTE custody was sad that their loved one had not returned home but was optimistic that he would soon.

Disna Manori, wife of Reserve Sub Inspector Bandujeewa Bopitigama was especially sad as her husband’s b’day fell last week. “Last Tuesday was his b’day. This is the first time we could not wish him on his birthday. Last year, he was home with us but this year he is far away.”

This was just one of the family celebrations that RSI Bopitigama had missed. December 5 marked Disna’s b’day and their seventh wedding anniversary fell on December 13. On January 4, Devni, their only daughter, turned six –years-old.

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