Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)

Dayasiri denies Hettipola allegation­s

- BY CHATURANGA SAMARAWICK­RAMA

SLFP General Secretary Dayasiri Jayasekara on Tuesday denied allegation­s claiming that he was involved in taking six suspects on bail, who were arrested during the tense situation that prevailed in Hettipola, Kurunegala.

Speaking to the media at the SLFP Head quarters on Tuesday, he said that he went to the scene, not to appear on behalf of the arrested individual­s, but to control the situation.

“I have no connection with the arrested individual­s. The tense situation was created after the suspects were transferre­d to the Hettipola Police station from Bingiriya,” he said.

“The incident had occurred in Bingiriya. The suspects who were involved in the attacks creating a tense situation, had been arrested by the Bingiriya Police and later were transferre­d to the Hettipola Police Station. The tense situation began from there,” he said.

“When I visited the Police station, the place was under siege by more than 3,000 people. They had broken into the Police barricade. I went to the Police Station and explained the situation to the Police OIC and transferre­d the suspects to the Bingiriya Police Station. i did so in order to bring the situation under control. however, rumours were spread claiming that I was involved in bailing out the suspects,” he said. A group of drunkards had attacked two boutiques in Kuliyapiti­ya. The suspects apprehende­d over this incident had been released, while the residents were on their way to the police station. When there was fighting among this group as a peoples representa­tive I could not just wait.

When I visited the police station Namal Kumara was also there. I asked him why he came and instructed him to immediatel­y go away. He went away.

I took the six suspects in my jeep and handed them to the Bingiriya Police. I did not make any intimidati­on to the OIC. You can verify this

from him.

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