A man who was arrested by the Dehiwala Police suddenly fell ill at the Prison hospital and later died while being transferred to the Colombo National Hospital in a critical condition on Wednesday (06), it was reported.

The victim was identified as 32-year-old Sandun Vasana, a resident of Kawdana in Dehiwala.

Relatives of the victim said the Dehiwala Police forcefully entered his house located at No. 11/6, Sirisangabo Road, Kawdana on August 26 and brutally assaulted him before taking him away.

They said the police produced him in court three days after he was arrested on charges of theft and possession of drugs.

The relatives of the deceased further said that while he was in police custody, he made a phone call to home and said that 15 police officers assaulted him.

The relatives said the deceased suddenly collapsed inside the prison and died after being hospitalised due to the assault by police officers. They said that it was a homicide and requested the Inspector General of Police to conduct a proper investigation.

Meanwhile, ‘Divaina’ newspaper reported quoting an officer of Dehiwala Police that the victim was arrested on August 27 with 15 grams of ice drug and he died after being admitted to the 15th ward of the Colombo National Hospital due to a fever.

He said the victim died nine days after being imprisoned.