Probe on vehicle blaze

By Shane Seneviratne

An investigation is underway over the fire which damaged a Peradeniya University vehicle worth rupees seven million parked opposite the Senate building, police said.University security chief Maj. Jayantha Weerasekera has been asked for a full report on the incident.

The vehicle was parked at the Senate building when it caught fire at around 3.30 a.m. on Thursday. The Government Analyst has been called in while Kandy Police HQI too will conduct an inquiry.

Meanwhile the University students council treasurer said no undergrad was behind the incident adding they had never caused a loss to the campus. He said it was unfair to blame them as it was understood to be due to the negligence of the driver who is said to have not disconnected the battery of the vehicle.

It is alleged that this incident is being used by officials who want to blame the undergrads as they were angered with the students over the Ivor Jennings name board issue.

The University Registrar said an entry had been made with the Peradeniya police on the incident where some deans were kept under house arrest for 20 hours by the undergrads. The VC, Prof. M. Amarasinghe, Prof. P.Karunaratne, Prof. S.Abeykoon and Director Welfare Gamini Himinayake were those kept under house arrest. Three students identified as Udula Premartne, Ruwan Nawalage and A. Abeysinghe have been named as responsible according to the police complaint.