Police have issued a statement regarding an alleged assault on a police officer by a group that reportedly included National People’s Power (NPP) Parliamentarian Shantha Padmakumara.
According to the statement, the incident occurred on the 20th at around 8.40 p.m. when a police constable attached to the Suriyakanda Police Station was returning home after completing his duties. Police allege that the constable was attacked by a group, including the MP, near the Kalugala Temple, and that his motorcycle was taken during the incident.
Police further stated that at around 10.10 p.m. on the same day, Ratnapura District MP Shantha Padmakumara had lodged a complaint at the Kolonna Police Station. In his complaint, the MP alleged that a police constable from the Suriyakanda Police Station had stopped his motorcycle, blocked the road, and attempted to assault him while he was travelling in a cab from Kalugala to Halwinna.
Police said the constable’s motorcycle was later taken into custody by the Kolonna Police from the road near the Kalugala Temple. The injured police officer was initially admitted to the Kolonna Hospital and was later transferred to the Embilipitiya Hospital for further treatment.
The police statement also noted that the medical report indicated the smell of alcohol on the officer’s breath. While urine samples reportedly showed no presence of drugs, arrangements have been made to collect blood samples and forward them to the Government Analyst’s Department to determine whether alcohol had been consumed.
Police said that further investigations into the alleged incident are being carried out by the Embilipitiya Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau under the direct supervision of the Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of the Embilipitiya Division.
