The Colombo Crimes Division has arrested four persons on suspicion of attacking social media activist Dilan Senanayake with sharp weapons on 14 December, under the Mirihana Police Division.

The Police has also taken two sharp weapons into custody, which are suspected to have been

used in the attack, along with the suspects, the Police Media Division said.

The arrested suspects have been identified as residents of Dematagoda, Slave Island, and

Borella, and are aged between 28 and 44, according to the police.

Police said that it has been revealed that the suspects in question had attended the recent

“aragalaya” protest campaigns at the Galle Face Green almost on a daily basis, and that on one

of those days the victim, Dilan Senanayake, had poked fun at a girl who had befriended the

main suspect in question.

When the main suspect had objected to Senanayake making fun of the girl, he had allegedly

grabbed the main suspect by the collar and threatened him. Police allege that the knife attack

on Senanayake had been carried out in retaliation to this incident, and in an attempt to exact

revenge.

The arrested suspects will be handed over to the Mirihana Police Headquarters for further

interrogations, the Police Media Division said.