COLOMBO: India has described as “utterly shocking” a statement by a senior Sri Lankan minister suggesting that the Indian Intelligence organization, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was connected with the murder of leading journalist Richard De Zoysa.

“It is utterly shocking that an alibi like this could have been concocted by such high quarters of the government of Sri Lanka,” India’s high commissioner said in a statement here.

The suggestion was made by minister of state for information A. Ranasinghe.

Meanwhile De Zoysa was bid a tearful farewell by his admirers and friends at his funeral Wednesday. Several journalists, including foreign correspondents have condemned the killing.

De Zoysa, Colombo correspondent of the inter press service, was abducted from his residence by a group of armed men on Sunday. His body was found on the beach on Monday with gunshot wounds.

 

Article extracted from this publication >> March 2, 1990