Police has arrested six suspects including the Secretary of the Electricity Consumers’ Association (ECA), Sanjeewa Dhammika and a Buddhist monk during the protest march at Horagasmulla on the Colombo-Divulapitiya main road against the increase in electricity tariffs, and they were subsequently granted bail.

The Colombo-Divulapitiya main road had been completely blocked at Horagasmulla for vehicular movement due to the protest.

The ECA had organised the relevant demonstration protesting the recent electricity tariff hike.

However, the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court yesterday (1) issued an order preventing the group of persons protesting against the revised electricity tariffs from entering several areas in Colombo. Accordingly, by way of a Court order issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage, the protestors were prevented from marching towards the Presidential Secretariat, the President’s House, and the Ministry of Finance premises through several roads in Colombo. The relevant order was issued by the Magistrate upon consideration of the facts presented by the Kompanna Vidiya Police citing the risks of property damage and the inconveniences facing by the public as a result of the protests. Advising the protesters to carry out their activities peacefully, Magistrate Gamage further advised the Police to make arrests in the event any protester fails to act in a peaceful manner.

Accordingly, the six suspects including Dhammika and Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thera, were released on a surety bail of Rs.100,000 each on the orders of the Minuwangoda Magistrate’s Court.