Mar 23, Colombo: A Sri Lankan nursing trade union has requested from the Director of Health Services of the Western Province to probe a case of animal cruelty by a matron in a leading hospital.

The Government Nursing Officers' Association says that a special grade nursing officer of the Gampaha Government Hospital has attempted to kill four puppies by putting them in a drawer in the mortuary of the hospital.

An official of the Government Nursing Officers' Association said that they had made a written request from the Director of Health Services of Western Provincial Council on March 16 demanding a probe into the incident. The union urges the authorities to reinstate the respect of the nursing profession through punishing the culprits.

The animal torture and the attempted killing had taken place on February 26, 2013 and some workers in the mortuary had saved the lives of the puppies.