Threatening Karunanayake and group:

Four suspects remanded

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

The four suspects who had issued death threats and damaged the vehicles of Member of Parliament (MP) for the Colombo district, Ravi Karunanayake, Opposition Leader for the North Central Province, Attorney-at-law Kasturi Anuradhanayake and UNP supporter from Hambantota Athula Senaratne were arrested and produced before the Tangalle Magistrate who remanded them till August 19, police sources told the Sunday Observer.

Meanwhile, two more suspects who were subsequently arrested were also produced before the Tangalle Magistrate who granted them bail yesterday.

The incident took place at the residence of Senaratne at Beliatte last Sunday when a group of persons who broke into the home threatened Karunanayake and Anuradhanayake while they were having dinner. The group of persons who spoke in obscene language later damaged the vehicles of MP Karunanayaka and also other vehicles parked outside the residence. A complaint in this regard was later lodged at the Beliatte Police Station by Senaratne and Karunanayake, police said.

Meanwhile, according to reports, Karunanayake and others had earlier visited the residence of T.A. Janaka, the UNP’s Secretary for Hambantota district prior to visiting the home of Senaratne. While they were there too, a man who had trespassed into Janaka’s home had threatened the group and had asked them to leave. Further inquiries are being made by OIC of the Beliatte police.