Family members of suspects arrested in connection with the shooting of iconic tusker Kavantissa have denied their involvement, accusing investigators of falsely implicating innocent individuals and demanding an impartial investigation.
Speaking to the media, the wife of one of the suspects alleged that around 15 officers arrived at their residence at approximately 4:30 p.m. and pressured her husband to admit responsibility for shooting the elephant.
“My husband told them that he could never admit to something he had not done,” she said.
She said both she and her husband were government employees with two children and that the allegations had caused severe distress to their family.
“Social media is portraying my husband as a criminal. We are now in a situation where our family of four cannot face society,” she said.
The woman maintained that her husband had never committed such an offence, adding that the family had spent a considerable amount of money installing an electric fence to protect their property from elephants.
She also said the firearm seized by investigators was legally licensed and registered.
Meanwhile, a relative of another suspect alleged that officers from the Walana unit had arrested several individuals, including his brothers, despite their having no involvement in the shooting.
He further alleged that one of the arrested men had been assaulted while in custody and subsequently hospitalized with an ear injury. These allegations have not been independently verified.
The relative accused investigators of attempting to close the high-profile case by implicating innocent people rather than identifying those actually responsible.
He called on the government to conduct an independent investigation and ensure that those responsible for shooting Kavantissa are brought to justice.
“We also want to know who committed this crime. Those responsible must be punished, but innocent people should not be made to suffer,” he said.
The family members also referred to proceedings before the Mahawa Magistrate’s Court, claiming that investigators had failed to produce sufficient evidence connecting the suspects to the shooting.
During Monday’s (October 19) proceedings, Magistrate Anuradha Seneviratne questioned wildlife officials over the evidence against the suspects and directed investigators to present further material to court.
Two suspects were remanded until October 28.
However, the Ministry of Environment has maintained that investigations have established a connection between a main suspect and the shooting. Police have also reported recovering firearms and ammunition during the investigation.
Kavantissa, one of Sri Lanka’s iconic wild tuskers, died on October 16 after receiving treatment for a gunshot injury to its right foreleg. (Newswire)
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