Six people arrested for assault on MP during Thileepan memorial

by Zulfick Farzan 18-09-2023 | 5:14 PM

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Police said that six people were arrested for allegedly assaulting MP Selvarasa Gajendran and several others in Sardapura.

Tamil National People's Front (TNFP), MP Selvarasa Gajendran and several others had organized a motorcade in remembrance of Rasaiah Parthipan, known by the nom de guerre Thileepan, who died on the 26th of September 1987 during a hunger-strike in Jaffna, that took place citing several demands, including the immediate exit of the Indian Peace Keeping Force from Sri Lanka.

The Thileepan memorial motorcade commenced from the Pothuvil town on 15th September, and proceeded to Batticaloa via Verugal, and Muttur, and was eventually obstructed by a group in Sardapura, while en route to Trincomalee.

The group had then assaulted the vehicle carrying an image of Thileepan, and thereafter, assaulted MP Selvarasa Gajendran.

"We were on our way to Trincomalee, and we were assaulted. A masked man hurled a large stone onto the vehicle. Around 50 people obstructed the road. They attacked the vehicles. I was brutally assaulted. They attacked my driver with a stone. They continued to assault us," the MP told reporters on Monday (18).

The Police Spokesperson commenting on the incident said that those engaged in the Thileepan Memorial motorcade filed a complaint with the Thabalagamuwa police, citing that they were assaulted by a group.

"Investigations are conducted by the China Bay Police, and six people were arrested for unlawful assembly and assault. The suspects are a 59-year-old male, 45-year-old male, two women aged 35, a 56-year-old male, and a 59-year-old male," said SSP Nihal Thalduwa adding that all six suspects were remanded to the 21st of September.

However, he said that "As per the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and the Gazette issued proscribing the LTTE, it is not permissible to commemorate a person like Thileepan."