| wdt_ID | wdt_created_at | wdt_last_edited_by | wdt_last_edited_at | Name (Age) | Ethnicity | Date | Location (Town) | Location (District) | Location (Province) | Description | Outcome of Legal Proceedings | Sources | Acknowledgments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | atita | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | L. H. Justin (28) | Sinhalese | April 4, 1958 | Bogawantalawa | Nuwara Eliya | Central Province | Justin was an employee of a bakery owned by John Silva in Bogawantalawa. On the morning of April 4, he and Silva’s son, Tilakawansa, were walking when they came across a crowd of Malaiyaha Tamils damaging a culvert. A man from the crowd slapped the two. Justin pulled out a knife and stabbed someone in the crowd. Then, he and Tilakawansa fled, pursued by the mob. Justin was stoned to death on the road. | No prosecution pending as of October 1, 1958 | “Bogwantalawa Inquiry Held by Magistrate,” Ceylon Daily News, April 7, 1958. | |
| 2 | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | atita | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | B. B. G. Manuel Silva | Sinhalese | May 15, 1958 | Chenkaladi | Batticaloa | Eastern Province | Silva was a long-standing resident of the Eravur area and a critic of the anti-sri campaign. On the night of May 15, a piece of dynamite had been thrown at the house a Tamil town council chairman. As Silva went to investigate, he was shot dead by a Tamil assailant due to his stance on the anti-sri campaign. | Three arrested for the shooting, and prosecution pending as of October 1, 1958 | “Maraṇaya Gæna 3k Hirabārē,” [3 in Custody for Murder] Lankadeepa, May 17, 1958. Jilla, Without Fear or Favour, 460. Parliamentary Debates, Senate, vol. 12, col. 10. | |
| 3 | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | atita | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | Police Sergeant K. K. Charles Appuhamy (52) | Sinhalese | May 23, 1958 | Batticaloa | Batticaloa | Eastern Province | Appuhamy was part of a police squad on the night mail train from Batticaloa to protect any Tamil passengers from an attack by Sinhalese at Polonnaruwa. There had been some debate about whether the train should be allowed to go, given the disturbances in the area, but it was decided that the train should proceed, albeit slower than usual. A group of Tamils had removed the fish plates from the track, derailing the train. He was crushed to death by a twisted girder. Appuhamy was the father of six children. | 12 accused acquitted | “2 Die in Train Derailment,” Times of Ceylon, May 24, 1958. “The Batticaloa Train Disaster,” Ceylon Observer, May 25, 1958. “All Freed in Train Derailment Case,” Ceylon Daily News, October 22, 1958. | |
| 4 | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | atita | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | Nicholas Fernando | Sinhalese | May 23, 1958 | Batticaloa | Batticaloa | Eastern Province | Fernando was a porter on the night mail train from Batticaloa. There had been some debate about whether the train should be allowed to go, given the disturbances in the area, but it was decided that the train should proceed, albeit slower than usual. A group of Tamils had removed the fish plates from the track, derailing the train. He was severely injured in the derailment and died within minutes of reaching the hospital. | 12 accused acquitted | “2 Die in Train Derailment,” Times of Ceylon, May 24, 1958. “The Batticaloa Train Disaster,” Ceylon Observer, May 25, 1958. “All Freed in Train Derailment Case,” Ceylon Daily News, October 22, 1958. | |
| 5 | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | atita | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | Police Constable K. Paramasingam (25) | Tamil | May 23, 1958 | Batticaloa | Batticaloa | Eastern Province | Paramasingam was part of a police squad on the night mail train from Batticaloa to protect any Tamil passengers from an attack by Sinhalese at Polonnaruwa. There had been some debate about whether the train should be allowed to go, given the disturbances in the area, but it was decided that the train should proceed, albeit slower than usual. A group of Tamils had removed the fish plates from the track, derailing the train. He was severely injured in the derailment and died while hospitalized. | 12 accused acquitted | “2 Die in Train Derailment,” Times of Ceylon, May 24, 1958. “The Batticaloa Train Disaster,” Ceylon Observer, May 25, 1958. “All Freed in Train Derailment Case,” Ceylon Daily News, October 22, 1958. | |
| 6 | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | atita | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | Don Ariyapala “Arty” Seneviratne (42) | Sinhalese | May 24, 1958 | Santhiveli | Batticaloa | Eastern Province | Seneviratne was travelling by car to his coconut estate in Kalkudah. As he neared the estate on the 24th night, he found the road blocked by logs. He was then shot dead by a Tamil mob. He had earlier been warned twice not to go to his estate due to signs of unrest in the Batticaloa District. A police party that arrived at the murder location was shot at from the surrounding jungles. | Accused acquitted | “Former Mayor Shot Dead,” Ceylon Daily News, May 26, 1958 Jilla, Without Fear or Favour, 467. “Police & Army Curb Violence,” Times of Ceylon, May 26, 1958. | |
| 7 | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | atita | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | K. S. Perera | Sinhalese | May 25, 1958 | Morakotanchenai | Batticaloa | Eastern Province | Perera had gone to Batticaloa to attend the funeral of Police Sergeant Appuhamy, who was killed in the Batticaloa train derailment. He was accompanied by G. W. Silva and L. H. Arnolis. On the return trip on the 25th morning, they were ambushed by a Tamil mob. The mob shot at them in the car, killing two. One had managed to survive the initial shooting and attempted to crawl away. The mob took notice and shot him point blank in the head. | Nine accused acquitted | “9 Discharged in Constable Murder Case,” Ceylon Daily News, November 3, 1958. Jilla, Without Fear or Favour, 466. | |
| 8 | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | atita | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | L. H. Arnolis | Sinhalese | May 25, 1958 | Morakotanchenai | Batticaloa | Eastern Province | Arnolis had gone to Batticaloa to attend the funeral of Police Sergeant Appuhamy, who was killed in the Batticaloa train derailment. He was accompanied by G. W. Silva and K. S. Perera. On the return trip on the 25th morning, they were ambushed by a Tamil mob. The mob shot at them in the car, killing two. One had managed to survive the initial shooting and attempted to crawl away. The mob took notice and shot him point blank in the head. | Nine accused acquitted | “9 Discharged in Constable Murder Case,” Ceylon Daily News, November 3, 1958. Jilla, Without Fear or Favour, 466. | |
| 9 | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | atita | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | G. W. Silva | Sinhalese | May 25, 1958 | Morakotanchenai | Batticaloa | Eastern Province | Silva had gone to Batticaloa to attend the funeral of Police Sergeant Appuhamy, who was killed in the Batticaloa train derailment. He was accompanied by G. W. Silva and L. H. Arnolis. On the return trip on the 25th morning, they were ambushed by a Tamil mob. The mob shot at them in the car, killing two. One had managed to survive the initial shooting and attempted to crawl away. The mob took notice and shot him point blank in the head. | Nine accused acquitted | “9 Discharged in Constable Murder Case,” Ceylon Daily News, November 3, 1958. Jilla, Without Fear or Favour, 466. | |
| 10 | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | atita | May 22, 2024 02:53 AM | Pakkiam (24) | Tamil | May 25, 1958 | Sugar Cane Farm, Polonnaruwa | Polonnaruwa | North Central Province | Pakkiam had committed suicide by jumping into a well out of fear of being attacked by Sinhalese mobs. She also threw her children into the well, killing them. | No prosecution pending as of October 1, 1958 | “Tension in Two Provinces,” Ceylon Observer, May 26, 1958. | |
| Name (Age) | Ethnicity | Date | Location (Town) | Location (District) | Location (Province) | Description | Outcome of Legal Proceedings | Sources | Acknowledgments |
The above list is a compilation of stories of murders during the racial disturbances that occurred from April to June 1958 in Sri Lanka. The names are taken from the official list of 159 deaths, about 110 of which were attributed to “mob violence,” as presented by S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike in parliament on October 1, 1958. Though the start date of the riots is commonly put as May 22, the official list included some deaths that occurred earlier, and they have been included as appropriate. Only those whose stories have been obtained by the Atita team have been included, but this list is a work in progress and will be updated as more information is found.
Generally, press sources were consulted for the information. Strong consideration was given to context, testimony of witnesses and those familiar with the cases, the likely motives and biases of various sources, and the ethnicity of the accused in the court cases, to determine the accuracy of the details and appropriateness to include on the list. This was especially true for certain killings of Sinhalese in the Batticaloa District, which were the subject of some parliamentary dispute over the identity and motives of the perpetrators.
The table is by default sorted by chronological order; however, you can use the header controls to sort it as you wish.
If you know further details about the listed victims, or have any information on non-listed victims, we would be happy to learn via the contact form. We will gladly acknowledge your contribution should we include it on the list.
Bibliography
Jilla, F. N. D. Without Fear or Favour. Colombo: Sarvodaya Vishva Lekha, 2003.
Vittachi, Tarzie. Emergency ’58: The Story of the Ceylon Race Riots. London: Andre Deutsch, 1958.