SRI LANKA: DISSIDENT POLITICAL ACTIVISTS ARRESTED

Daily Mirror Online
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JVP dissident leader Premakumar Gunarathnam and member of the dissident arm Dimuthu Attigala have been arrested early this morning, the JVP dissidents said. The dissident leader of the JVP was arrested in Kiribathgoda while Attigala had been arrested in Thalawathugoda, a spokesman of the media unit of the Progressive Socialist Party said.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, frontline member of the JVP dissident group Pubudu Jayagoda said that the arrest was made by the state defense establishment. “ The arrest was made by the countries security forces but they have been denying this. We will take all possible legal measures against the arrest. We are now in the process of lodging a complaint at the IGP’s office” he said.

Addressing a press conference held today in this regard Senadheera Gunathilake a member of the newly formed party said that the arrest was preceded by intimidation. “There was a meeting that was held last night, this morning when one of our comrades visited the house in which Gunarathnam was staying at around 4 in the morning he had seen that the tire of the vehicle Gunarathnam was supposed to travel was deflated. Later when he went in, he saw the backdoor of the house Gunarathnam was staying in broken and some of his belongings kept in the room being disrupted” he said.

When contacted the Police said they were unaware of the arrest.

© Daily Mirror