Naked man not a ‘suspicious character’, says SSP

Rasika SOMARATHNA

A man was arrested while loitering naked close to the Chavakachcheri post office and the main road in Jaffna yesterday morning.

SSP Nevin Padmadeva of Jaffna Police said that the man believed to be a mentally unstable person and had been taken into custody and was produced before court.

According to him, the man was first spotted by residents and had informed the Army about his presence. The Army had later apprehended the suspect and had given him clothes before informing the Police.

The clothes he was wearing were later found left about 100 metres away from the location where he was arrested.

According to information received by Police the man is suspected of having behaved in a similar manner on previous occasions as well. SSP Padmadeva said that a person identified as the brother of the suspect had also given a statement to the Police.

The SSP added that he had received information that certain media and others were trying to portray it as another ‘suspicious character’ incident in an attempt to sling mud at authorities.

He urged the public not to be misled by such rumours. The court has ordered the suspect to be produced before a psychiatrist to evaluate his mental condition. He is also being investigated for his involvement in other possible crime, he added.