It was reported last week that a decapitated body of a 30-year-old female was found in Dam street, Colombo, and that subsequently the alleged perpetrator, a 51-year-old Sub Inspector, died by suicide. Detailed reports of the crime, a suicide note, and a number of photographs of the victim, suspect, and their families went viral on social media as well as on electronic and print media. The incident was widely covered, with attention paid to various aspects of the crime, efforts of law enforcement to investigate the deaths, and details of a personal nature of the lives of those involved.
The Morning ventured out to speak to a cross section of the public yesterday (11) to get their thoughts on how the incident was reported in media, the public’s appetite for crime and the attention paid to mental health with the involvement of a suicide.
The following are some of the more interesting comments we received.
Lanka Ranasinghe, 53, Gampaha: ‘Nothing wrong with the way it was reported’
From what I gathered from TV; the man had wanted to end the affair when the woman had pursued it. The crime might have followed an argument. The suspect is wrong, but I don’t think that the murder was intentional. I feel sorry for the man more than the girl. He may have done a lot of service to the country.
When such news is put on television some people learn a lesson. It might prevent people from doing such things or getting involved in illicit affairs. When you look at it that way, there is nothing wrong with the way it was reported in the media. It is okay to publish their personal details since they have done something wrong, but it is not right for the media to use such a tragedy to achieve their own ends. Media is still writing about it even though a week has passed. They feed off such things. Equality should be given to both parties when reporting. It is not fair to only blur the face of the man and expose the girls’ face.
Publicising information and photographs of family members is not right. Children cannot be held responsible for the actions of adults. Maybe the family pictures were published to show that it was a beautiful family that was destroyed.
Because of this couple, the time and energy of parties involved in the investigations is wasted. Maybe he should have also mentioned the location of the girl’s head in his note to save valuable time.
M. Dayan, 62, Kurunegala, Businessman: ‘Good that it was broadcasted to teach the public a good lesson’
When people go into relationships, they should be age appropriate. The girl was like a daughter to the man, such was their age gap. The girl should have also known better. The suspect is a police officer, a protector of the law. He should have known better. Murder is not acceptable at all. In my opinion, he should be brought to Galle Face Green and stoned to death.
The families are also to be blamed as they should be more vigilant of other family members. I heard that the wife of the man had known about the affair. She should have taken a step to end it. I learnt about the incident from YouTube. These events are reported to get the media outlets and pages promoted. At the end of the day, they want to earn money. But it’s good that all this was broadcasted through the media. It would teach the rest of the public a good lesson. People would be scared to do such things in the future.
A. Ranjan, 44, Bokundara, Three Wheel Taxi driver: ‘No point blaming media, they’re only informing the public’
I saw the news on YouTube and in the newspapers. There is no point blaming the media as they are only informing the public about what has happened. People learn lessons when such things are reported. The fear created deters others from committing such crimes. But it is also not right to excessively expose details from the personal lives of those involved in the incident. Such reports are not good for the futures of the children in the families. Children should not suffer for the faults of adults.
The media also gives special attention and highlights stories like this with excessive details to gain attention. When technical details of an incident are shown through the media, the next person who is going to commit a crime would take notes and learn new tricks and strategies. Crimes like this happen according to our Karmic chakras. People end their own lives when they feel that they are stuck. The man involved in this incident might have felt trapped. People must develop their minds to face incidents like this. Ending one’s own life is not an answer to anything.
M. P. Sanjeewa, 30, Balangoda, Government employee: ‘Media would sell their own parents to achieve their ends’
I saw the incident in social media pages of established media institutions. The publishing of personal details and the suicide note was not ethical. The suspect had asked his wife to not show the letter to anyone. So, it is not right at all to publicise it through the media.
For the press, it is merely a marketing game. They would sell their own parents to achieve those ends. The public themselves should reject such reports and refrain from reading or watching them. Even if there was a demand to read such stories, the media shouldn’t supply. If things go on this way murders would be normalised with time.
Editors of papers should also be conscious of unethical reporting. There should be ethical frameworks for the media. Newspapers should also be regulated. When things like this are highlighted, the impression we give of our country to the world is a negative one. Today, the media is like a pack of dogs let loose. However, we also got to know so many details about this murder because politics did not get involved in it. When there are political connections, such incidents don’t come to the surface. The media pursues what they want and brings those things to the surface.
U.G.K. Madubashini, 28, Nugegoda, Writer: ‘Media is feeding off the dead and will only increase such incidents’
The blame for her murder is put entirely on the girl. But one cannot clap with just one hand. Reports say that there were no physical damages to the man, who was a Police Sub Inspector. Maybe it is done on purpose to justify his actions because he is from the police. The suicide note does not prove that he is innocent, though it might be read that way. Publishing the suicide note on media is wrong. I saw that even their bank details were publicised. People’s privacy should be protected no matter what. Publishing photographs of victims and people involved is not right.
The media is feeding off the dead. As these kinds of reports are fed to society, incidents like this will only increase. People become increasingly interested to read such stories. Reports of such incidents do not act as lessons to the rest of the public. Even the children in our society who use social media are exposed to such violent things which distort their minds. No helplines or positive messages were accompanying the news of the suicide.
Lanka Ranasinghe, 53, Gampaha: ‘Nothing wrong with the way it was reported’
From what I gathered from TV; the man had wanted to end the affair when the woman had pursued it. The crime might have followed an argument. The suspect is wrong, but I don’t think that the murder was intentional. I feel sorry for the man more than the girl. He may have done a lot of service to the country.
When such news is put on television some people learn a lesson. It might prevent people from doing such things or getting involved in illicit affairs. When you look at it that way, there is nothing wrong with the way it was reported in the media. It is okay to publish their personal details since they have done something wrong, but it is not right for the media to use such a tragedy to achieve their own ends. Media is still writing about it even though a week has passed. They feed off such things. Equality should be given to both parties when reporting. It is not fair to only blur the face of the man and expose the girls’ face.
Publicising information and photographs of family members is not right. Children cannot be held responsible for the actions of adults. Maybe the family pictures were published to show that it was a beautiful family that was destroyed.
Because of this couple, the time and energy of parties involved in the investigations is wasted. Maybe he should have also mentioned the location of the girl’s head in his note to save valuable time.
M. Dayan, 62, Kurunegala, Businessman: ‘Good that it was broadcasted to teach the public a good lesson’
When people go into relationships, they should be age appropriate. The girl was like a daughter to the man, such was their age gap. The girl should have also known better. The suspect is a police officer, a protector of the law. He should have known better. Murder is not acceptable at all. In my opinion, he should be brought to Galle Face Green and stoned to death.
The families are also to be blamed as they should be more vigilant of other family members. I heard that the wife of the man had known about the affair. She should have taken a step to end it. I learnt about the incident from YouTube. These events are reported to get the media outlets and pages promoted. At the end of the day, they want to earn money. But it’s good that all this was broadcasted through the media. It would teach the rest of the public a good lesson. People would be scared to do such things in the future.
A. Ranjan, 44, Bokundara, Three Wheel Taxi driver: ‘No point blaming media, they’re only informing the public’
I saw the news on YouTube and in the newspapers. There is no point blaming the media as they are only informing the public about what has happened. People learn lessons when such things are reported. The fear created deters others from committing such crimes. But it is also not right to excessively expose details from the personal lives of those involved in the incident. Such reports are not good for the futures of the children in the families. Children should not suffer for the faults of adults.
The media also gives special attention and highlights stories like this with excessive details to gain attention. When technical details of an incident are shown through the media, the next person who is going to commit a crime would take notes and learn new tricks and strategies. Crimes like this happen according to our Karmic chakras. People end their own lives when they feel that they are stuck. The man involved in this incident might have felt trapped. People must develop their minds to face incidents like this. Ending one’s own life is not an answer to anything.
M. P. Sanjeewa, 30, Balangoda, Government employee: ‘Media would sell their own parents to achieve their ends’
I saw the incident in social media pages of established media institutions. The publishing of personal details and the suicide note was not ethical. The suspect had asked his wife to not show the letter to anyone. So, it is not right at all to publicise it through the media.
For the press, it is merely a marketing game. They would sell their own parents to achieve those ends. The public themselves should reject such reports and refrain from reading or watching them. Even if there was a demand to read such stories, the media shouldn’t supply. If things go on this way murders would be normalised with time.
Editors of papers should also be conscious of unethical reporting. There should be ethical frameworks for the media. Newspapers should also be regulated. When things like this are highlighted, the impression we give of our country to the world is a negative one. Today, the media is like a pack of dogs let loose. However, we also got to know so many details about this murder because politics did not get involved in it. When there are political connections, such incidents don’t come to the surface. The media pursues what they want and brings those things to the surface.
U.G.K. Madubashini, 28, Nugegoda, Writer: ‘Media is feeding off the dead and will only increase such incidents’
The blame for her murder is put entirely on the girl. But one cannot clap with just one hand. Reports say that there were no physical damages to the man, who was a Police Sub Inspector. Maybe it is done on purpose to justify his actions because he is from the police. The suicide note does not prove that he is innocent, though it might be read that way. Publishing the suicide note on media is wrong. I saw that even their bank details were publicised. People’s privacy should be protected no matter what. Publishing photographs of victims and people involved is not right.
The media is feeding off the dead. As these kinds of reports are fed to society, incidents like this will only increase. People become increasingly interested to read such stories. Reports of such incidents do not act as lessons to the rest of the public. Even the children in our society who use social media are exposed to such violent things which distort their minds. No helplines or positive messages were accompanying the news of the suicide.