Namal Rajapaksa and others remanded till October 16

Ten persons including Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa who were arrested by the Hambantota Police last night (10) have been remanded till October 16. 

MP Namal Rajapaksa and the others had been summoned to the Hambantota Police last evening to record their statements regarding violence that broke out at a protest held in Hambantota Town on October 6. The protest, organized by the Joint Opposition (JO), was held against plans to give the Mattala International Airport to India on a long term lease. 

The suspects were arrested and produced before Hambantota Magistrate Manjula Karunaratne at his official residence at about 10.00pm yesterday, where they were ordered to be kept in remand custody till October 16. 

JO Parliamentarians D.V. Chanaka and Prasanna Ranaweera, as well as Provincial Councilors Upali Kodikara, Sampath Athukorala and Major Ajith Prasanna were among the other suspects who were arrested and remanded in custody. 

The suspects are accused of illegal assembly, damaging public property, causing injuries to police officers and obstructing their duties, and violating a court order. 

A total of 40 suspects have so far been arrested in connection with last week's protest.

Meanwhile, attempts to take Namal Rajapaksa and the other suspects to Tangalle Prison last night were obstructed when tyres were set alight along the route. However, police took steps to remove the obstructions from the road and transport the group to prison.

Story and Pix by Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi in Hambantota

 

 

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