Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Friday called for urgent action to ensure the safety and well-being of children in the country in an apparent response to the beating of a 4-year-old boy that shocked the nation.
Issuing a statement on X, Wickremesinghe added that while the judicial system will address the perpetrators of that brutal act, the immediate priority must be the protection and support of the child involved.
“The brutal beating of the 4-year-old boy has rightly horrified the country. While the judicial process will address the perpetrators, we must prioritise the child’s well-being, which will require swift and decisive action from State officials,” the President wrote.
He highlighted the lasting impact of such trauma, stressing the importance of understanding and raising awareness about the severe, long-term effects of abuse on children’s mental and physical health.
A grab from a social media video showed a man who was having a meal repeatedly beating a child for unexplained reasons.
It was also not clear if the child was his own or otherwise but the film clearly shows two women standing helplessly as the man goes on to attack the minor.
A Sri Lankan court on Wednesday remanded the 45-year-old man and two female accomplices in connection with the brutal assault of the four-year-old boy, an incident that sparked-off public outrage after the horrific incident went viral on social media platforms.
