NWP Provincial Councillor remanded; more cases of lawlessness by ruling party members
A UPFA Provincial Councillor who allegedly ordered a teacher to kneel because she admonished his daughter for wearing short dresses has been remanded. North Western Provincial Councillor Ananda Sarath Kumar was arrested in Anamaduwa, produced before Puttalam’s Acting Magistrate Mohammed Iqbal and remanded till tomorrow.
The teacher attached to the Navodhya Maha Vidyalaya in Nawagattegama and in charge of discipline had been allegedly threatened by the provincial councillor and forced to kneel in front of her class children. The teacher, due to fear had not lodged a complaint initially, but later went to the Anamaduwa police station and made a complaint.
In another incident, the Akuressa Pradeshiya Sabha’s Deputy Chairman Munidasa Gamage is alleged to have put up a temporary shed across a main road closing it for three days to entertain guests at his daughter’s wedding. As a result of the closure of the Akuressa-Illukwatta road, buses on the route could not run for three days causing inconvenience to the public and schoolchildren, residents said.
Two area journalists who tried to film the temporary shed had been assaulted by supporters of the PS member. They are being treated at the Matara hospital. The journalists have told the police that a mob had pushed their motorcycle and when they fell, they were assaulted with clubs.
However, Akuressa Police OIC Dhammika Amarasena said the PS member had got approval from the Sabha to put up the shed across the road. As for the journalists, he claimed they had fallen off the bikes and injured themselves. In yet another alleged assault by unruly politicians, Ampara Urban Council Chairman Indika Naleen Jayawickrema was arrested on charges of attacking a caterer.
The chairman allegedly threatened caterer Imosh Thivanka with death if he failed to come to the council office.
When he turned up, the UC chairman had allegedly assaulted him until he became unconscious. Mr. Jayawickrema surrendered to police and was produced before Ampara Magistrate Duminda P. Mudunkowa. He was released on personal bail of Rs.100,000.
The council chairman is also said to have threatened the Ampara Mangala Maha Viharaya Chief Incumbent, the Ven. Suhandagama Seelaratana Thera, who has also lodged a complaint with the police.
In another incident, Wilgamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Jayantha Weerasekera was wounded on Tuesday when he was assaulted by a group of supporters of Matale UPFA MP Wasantha Perera, a claim the parliamentarian has denied. Mr. Weerasekera was admitted to the Hettipola District Hospital and later transferred to the Dambulla Hospital.
Police spokesman Buddhika Siriwardane said Mr. Weerasekara’s mother had complained to the Wilgamuwa police about the incident. The police had recorded the chairman’s statement on Wednesday and were conducting investigations. No arrest has been made so far..
On Tuesday, Embilipitiya PS ChairmanM.K. Amila (UPFA), was further remanded by Embilipitiya Magistrate Lakshman Perera for allegedly assaulting two police officers on May 26.
ST