At around 7pm, an audio recording was issued by police spokesperson Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Thalduwa to the media describing the events that had unfolded at Rambukkana36. According to SSP Thalduwa (translation of Sinhala recording): “A diesel bowser was made to stop across the railway tracks and the trains were obstructed. Police tried to advise protestors multiple times but the protestors didn't listen to them. The protestors tried to set the bowser on fire so police fired tear gas. When the police fired tear gas onto the protestors, they started attacking police with sticks and stones. To control the situation, the police opened fire and due to this shooting, a couple of people were injured and then they were admitted to Kegalle hospital for treatment. The Kegalle Hospital stated that 24 persons injured in the incident have been admitted to hospital and the condition of 3 of them is critical. Eight injured police officers have been admitted to the Kegalle Hospital.” Video footage appeared on social media showing several persons with bleeding wounds and injuries at the protest site, with makeshift bandages wrapped on them to stop the bleeding.37 Two videos released by journalists show two persons lying motionless on the road. In one video, the onlookers are asking the police to take the person to hospital, while the police stand near the motionless body on the road, appearing to check for pulse before they allow onlookers to carry him and take him to seek medical attention 38. One injured person can be seen being carried by others and taken to the hospital on a bike, with another person holding him39 in footage released on social media. Police officers can also been carrying an injured person, ambulance sirens can be heard40, and officers and civilians can be seen transferring injured persons into the ambulance41 in media footage from the incident. Footage was also released on social media showing injured persons inside the hospital, where several persons are laid on stretches nursing visible injuries.42 ‘Rambukkana incident: Police spokesman speaks (Audio)’ News Wire, 19 April 2022. https://www.newswire. lk/2022/04/19/rambukkana-incident-police-spokesman-speaks-audio/ 37 ‘Daily Mirror - Update: Video footage captured by protesters in Rambukkana’ Twitter, 19 April 2022. https://twitter. com/Dailymirror_SL/status/1516426068953075718?s=20&t=Mp-5ua2_HRI8xb2oZRCSXg 38 ‘Manjula Basnayake - Why this disaster in Rambukkana’ Twitter, 19 April 2022. https://twitter.com/BasnayakeM/ status/1516410516503076865 39 ‘News Wire - One dead and seven protesters injured in clashes in Rambukkana’ Twitter, 19 April 2022. https://twitter.com/NewsWireLK/status/1516399829835927555?s=20&t=qEQwU3Wo8u-3d1ZpeDk5Gw 40 ‘Police open fire on Rambukkana protesters: One person killed’ News First, 19 April 2022, 03:12 onwards https://fb.watch/cDy5XMpWEH/ 41 ‘Police open fire on Rambukkana protesters: One person killed’ News First, 19 April 2022, 03:50 onwards https://fb.watch/cDy5XMpWEH/ 42 ‘News Wire - More than 10 persons hospitalised in Rambukkana, several persons are in critical condition. Hiru reports one has died’ Twitter, 19 April 2022. https://twitter.com/NewsWireLK/status/1516402209444958210?s=20 &t=Mp-5ua2_HRI8xb2oZRCSXg; ‘Police open fire on Rambukkana protesters: One person killed’ News First, 19 April 2022, 05:10 onwards https://fb.watch/cDy5XMpWEH/ 36 11