Government condemns assault on Rivira Editor
by Rafik JALALDEEN
The
Government issued a statement vehemently condemning the brutal attack on
the Rivira Editor Upali Tennekoon and his wife Dhammika and said that at
a critical time when the country is about to eliminate terrorism
completely, certain conspiratory groups are trying to embarrass the
Government by such deeds. Upali Tennekoon was assaulted by unknown
persons near Imbulgoda, 200 metres away from his residence, Friday
morning when he was driving to work with his wife.
Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera said two motorcycles which
were following him, had blocked his vehicle and attacked him. The
attackers first broke the windscreen and the windows by a pole and cut
Tennekoon’s face and hands while his wife was also injured when she
attempted to prevent the attackers harming Tennekoon, the spokesman
added.The Editor and his wife were brought to the Colombo National
Hospital and treated. Prasad Ariyawansa of the Colombo National Hospital
said Tennekoon was treated for lacerations to his hands and forehead.
His wife who had cut wounds in her hand was also treated. President
Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed the Defense Ministry to conduct
immediate inquiries into the incident.
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake told Parliament yesterday
that a special investigation will be conducted to probe the assault.
Police spokesman SSP Gunasekera said that two teams from the Colombo
Crime Division and two police teams under the Gampaha SSP were deployed
to carry out the investigations.
Rivira newspaper has a political orientation sympathetic to the
Government and is supportive of the humanitarian operations conducted by
the Security Forces in the Vanni. Its Editor Tennekoon was vehemently
criticized recently by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at a press
conference.
Tennekoon is a senior journalist and a longstanding Editor, who
worked at the Upali Newspapers prior to joining the Rivira Publications.
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