Maharagama UC Chairman in crisis after crisis

Ma h a r a g ama Ur b a n Council Chairman Viraj Lakruwan Piyaratne has been produced before the G a n g o d aw i l a Chief Magistrate Prasanna de Alwis following an alleged assault.

Mr Piyaratne allegedly assaulted the for mer Maharagama UC Chairman Kanthi Kodikara while she protested over the demolition of public toilets in Maharagama last Friday.

Following the incident, Ms Kodikara had lodged a complaint with the Maharagama Police and admitted herself to the Sri Jayewardenepura hospital in Kotte.

Mr Piyaratne had surrendered to the Maharagama Police following the complaint, and was produced before the Magistrate. He was released on two Rs 200,000 surety bails. The Magistrate said the case should be heard for the second time on March 9.

Mr Piyaratne too had lodged a complaint with the Maharagama Police claiming that Ms Kodikara had obstructed him from performing his duties.

Meanwhile, Ms Kodikara told the media that she and several other council members had protested over the demolition of the public toilets. She said she sat on the loader bucket in protest against the chairman’s actions, but Mr Piyaratne pushed her off the loader bucket and assaulted her neck and back.

Ms Kodikara was discharged from hospital on Thursday.

Some council members were also accusing the current chairman of selling 590kg of steel bars collected from the demolished toilets and another 228kg of steel bars. The council members claimed that the chairman had not informed the council or called for tenders to sell the steel.

Following the complaints of the council members the Maharagama Police had located the steel at a steel collection shop.

They also alleged that the chairman had secretly used a council lorry to allegedly transport steel without calling for tenders. The Police had arrested four suspects over transporting the steel, and they were to be produced before the magistrate court.