protesters had blocked roads and railway tracks for nearly ten hours while behaving in a violent manner.”58 2.6.4 Magistrate court proceedings – allegations against the police During the court proceedings regarding the Rambukkana shooting, it was alleged by lawyers present at the scene that police officers had deliberately changed certain sections of the B report using correctional liquid. It was argued that police officers had initially submitted facts regarding the incident in an A report to the court, when facts regarding a shooting incident/death of an individual must be presented to the court via a B report. Thereafter, the magistrate ordered the police officers to submit a B report. The B report that was first prepared by the officers mentioned Section 298 of the Penal Code, which applies to death caused by negligence not amounting to culpable homicide. A police officer had then tried to use correctional liquid to blot out Section 298 in the report submitted to the court.59 A senior police officer apologized to the Kegalle Magistrate in court for using correction fluid in the B report and the Kegalle Magistrate announced that the IGP will be informed of the matter.60 The BASL announced they would observe magistrate court proceedings of Rambukkana shooting.61 2.6.5 Magistrate conducts an inspection on the site The Kegalle Magistrate had reportedly arrived to Rambukkana to conduct an inspection and interview witnesses at the site. During the inspection process, statements had been recorded by the Magistrate from three witnesses. A lawyer informed the Magistrate that a police officer had tried to intimidate one of the witnesses after they had provided evidence. The Magistrate ordered the police to refrain from exerting any influence over witnesses to the incident and ordered the police officer in question to be summoned before her.62 ‘Public Security Minister’s statement in parliament on Rambukkana incident’ Ada Derana, 20 April 2022. http:// www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=81936 59 “Ajith Rohana’s impartiality questioned” The Morning, 22 April 2022. https://www.themorning.lk/ajith-rohanasimpartiality-questioned/ 60 ‘#Rambukkana Shooting: Cops use correction fluid on report submitted to court, Magistrate orders NOT to influence witnesses’ News First, 21 April 2022. https://www.newsfirst.lk/2022/04/21/rambukkana-shooting-cops-usecorrection-fluid-on-report-submitted-to-court-magistrate-orders-not-to-influence-witnesses 61 ‘BASL to observe court proceedings of Rambukkana shooting’ The Morning, 20 April 2022. https://www. themorning.lk/basl-to-observe-court-proceedings-of-rambukkana-shooting/ 62 ‘#Rambukkana Shooting: Cops use correction fluid on report submitted to court, Magistrate orders NOT to influence witnesses’ News First, 21 April 2022. https://www.newsfirst.lk/2022/04/21/rambukkana-shooting-cops-usecorrection-fluid-on-report-submitted-to-court-magistrate-orders-not-to-influence-witnesses 58 16