University clash: Police round up suspects

Sporadic student clashes at universities have tarnished the image of higher educational institutes. Students who hold different political ideologies and are affiliated to various political parties have been held accountable for unleashing violence during the past four decades. Many students have become victims to the cycle of violence.

The first such victim was an undergraduate at Peradeniya University in 1976. He was allegedly killed by a fellow student and the circumstances that led to the killing is not clear. Thereafter, a series of violent incidents such as killing and stabbing were reported in the following years. Sampath Wimala Tissa Bandara, a third year student of Sri Jayewardenepura University was killed a few years ago. He was killed in the university premises while he was on his way home. A group of students set upon him and one student stabbed him several times on his chest. The incident took place at a statue near the entrance to the university around 4pm. His friends who came to his rescue too were stabbed.

Arrested

Sampath Bandara was rushed to the Kalubowila Hospital by fellow students but he was pronounced dead on admission. He hails from Wariyapola in the Kurunegala district.

The ghastly murder sent shockwaves and parents refused to send their children to universities following the killing. Mirihana police investigated the murder and arrested the main suspect who allegedly stabbed him from a hideout in the Homagama area. Three other suspects who were linked to the killing were later arrested from Gangodawila.

In 2003, Ovitigala Vithanage Samantha, a third year student of the Commerce Faculty was killed following an attack on him by students of the university. More than 18-years ago Daya Ananda Pathirana of Colombo University was allegedly killed by a rival faction and his body was found dumped in the Piliyandala area. Another university student Waraprakash was also killed in a ragging incident at Perdeniya University in 1997. In 1992 Pushpa Maduwanthi Gunewardena, an undergraduate of Kelaniya University was stabbed to death by her fiance Ranith Premalal, police said.

The most recent incident was reported from the Moratuwa University when a group of 40 students from the NDT Institute stormed the Engineering Faculty hostel on January 16 and attacked students mercilessly engrossed in studies with iron bars. When students started fleeing the hostel, NDT students pursued and attacked them further injuring five more students. One student who sustained severe head injuries was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Colombo National Hospital.

According to hospital sources, he had undergone surgery and is receiving treatment at the ICU. According to police, the NDT students who ran berserk that night caused tremendous damage to the hostel. Following the attack, police arrived at the campus around 10.30 p.m. and escorted both factions of the student groups out of the university premises. According to the Vice Chancellor of Moratuwa University Prof. A.K.W. Jayawardena, some students have been banned from entering the university premises until further notice.

He said the simmering dispute between the Engineering Faculty students and NDT students over some issues had dragged on for several years and that steps will be taken to shift the NDT institute elsewhere.

Injury

According to Police Media Spokesman SSP Prashantha Jayakody, the NDT student from Galenbidunuwewa who caused serious injury to the student by attacking him on the head was arrested on January 17.

He was subsequently produced before the Moratuwa Magistrate and remanded pending investigations.

The Moratuwa police arrested two students from Anuradhapura and from Polgahawela who allegedly participated in the attack.

They also arrested a relative of a suspect from Mihintale for assistance him to escape. All suspects wereproduced in court and remanded until investigations are over.

A senior police officer said the timely arrival of the police at the university had prevented a carnage.

The attack by the NDT students was a sequel to the attack launched by the engineering students on them on January 1, 2013.

Police have identified 40 NDT students who took part in the attack and several police teams have been despatched to arrest the suspects. Further investigation on the incident is directed by DIG Colombo South Sumith Edirisinghe and SSP Mount Lavinia Division Ravindra Karawita.