Politics

A police constable involved in the assault case with Ratnapura District National People’s Power (NPP) Member of Parliament Shantha Pathma Kumara Subasingha has been released on bail. He was arrested today by the Embilipitiya Divisional Investigation Bureau for multiple offenses, including criminal intimidation. Police previously mentioned that a blood sample from the constable, who was reportedly attacked by a group that included MP Shantha Pathma Kumara Subasingha, will be sent to the Government Analyst’s Department. The Police Media Division released a statement detailing the alleged assault on the police officer, which occurred on December 20. The report states that around 8:40 p.m. on December 20, a constable from the Sooriyakanda Police Station, after finishing his shift, called the Kolonna Police Station using the 119 emergency number to report an incident. He claimed that he was attacked by the NPP MP and his group near the Kalugala Temple, where they also took his motorcycle by force. Later that same evening, at approximately 10:10 p.m., MP Shantha Pathma Kumara Subasingha lodged a complaint at the Kolonna Police Station. The MP alleged that while he was in a cab traveling from Kalugala to Halwinna, a police constable blocked the road with his motorcycle, stopped the cab, and tried to assault him. Additionally, the constable’s motorcycle was found abandoned on the road near the Kalugala Temple and was seized by Kolonna Police. Initially, the officer was taken to Kolonna Hospital and later moved to Embilipitiya Hospital. According to the police statement, the officer's medical records indicated an alcohol breath odor. Since no drugs were found in his urine samples, officials are now arranging to send his blood samples to the Government Analyst’s Department to check for alcohol consumption. The investigation into this incident is being led by the Embilipitiya Divisional Crimes Investigation Bureau under the supervision of the Senior Superintendent of Police for the Embilipitiya Division.