Malika vs. Aberathna and Others – sllr 2021 volume 3 page 114

In the case between Malika (representing the deceased child and other aggrieved family members) and Aberathna and Others (including police officers and state officials), the court addressed the violation of fundamental rights under the Constitution, specifically regarding allegations of torture, unlawful arrest and detention, and the state’s liability for police misconduct. The sequence of events involved the arrest and subsequent custodial assault of a 17-year-old child during a purported treasure hunting incident, resulting in fatal injuries. Medical and post-mortem evidence substantiated substantial physical abuse contrary to police claims of minimal force. Judicial analysis focused on breaches of Articles 11, 12(1), and 13(1)–(2), established failures on the part of the police to prote