The Police arrested the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Nawalapitiya organiser in relation to threatening and assaulting an individual in Nawalapitiya.

“The Police has taken action and arrested the said organiser,” Police Media Spokesperson, Deputy Inspector General of Police Nihal Thalduwa told The Daily Morning yesterday (17) in response to a query on Police action on the matter. “However, the complainant has agreed to settle it out of court as they are friends.”

These comments follow an incident that took place on 15 September when an individual was threatened and assaulted by an SJB organiser and his entourage when the individual refused to take a handbill supporting SJB Presidential candidate, Sajith Premadasa. The attackers had entered a watch repair shop where the victim was working and had threatened and slapped him, saying that he would be ‘taken care of’ after the Election. The incident was captured on close circuit television cameras. The victim was admitted to the District General Hospital, Nawalapitiya, to undergo treatment. After receiving medical care, he filed a complaint to the Police on Monday (16).

Earlier this month (September), a bus travelling with National People’s Power supporters were attacked while they were returning from a rally in Monaragala. The Police confirmed that the attackers were supporters of the SJB and that lawyers representing the SJB had come forward to request bail for the attackers once they were arrested. It was reported that the Election Commission had received 3,720 complaints of Election law violations with 28 recorded cases of politically motivated violence.

The Daily Morning's attempts to contact the SJB as well as SJB Opposition Parliamentarian Dr. Harsha de Silva proved futile.