In another appalling display of political impunity and the culture of violence spreading in Sri Lanka, the son of a senior police DIG Ravi Vidyalankara was brutally assaulted by an inebriated group led by the son of Senior Minister Maithripala Sirisena today.
The attack occurred at a resort in the beachside town of Passikudah this afternoon. The victim had cautioned the group against taking pictures of themselves intoxicated and indecently exposed when there were other guests in the background being caught in the inappropriate shots. His quiet objection resulted in Sirisena’s son lashing out saying that ‘This is our Government we can do whatever we want” eyewitnesses at the scene said. The crowd beat the victim mercilessly until he was nearly unconscious. The victim is now receiving treatment at the ICU of the Kalkudah Hospital.
The group of assaulters including Sirisena’s son were arrested by the Kalkudah police. The group had turned violent on the police officers when they had attempted to make the arrests, threatening and claiming that they could make the necessary calls to have them all transferred.
Eyewitnesses to the scene said it had been a brutal assault on a completely defenceless person. Several persons voiced fear that if the group could react that way to a senior police officer’s son, it was unthinkable what the repercussions would be for ordinary people.
LNW