Thewarapperuma undergoes by-pass surgery

Kalutara District United National Party (UNP) Parliamentarian Palitha Thewarapperuma who was recently embroiled in a controversy over grade one admissions underwent a successful by-pass surgery at a private hospital in Colombo on Friday, sources close to the Minister said.

Sources said the Minister was suffering from coronary heart disease and required immediate surgery. This is the second time the Minister has been admitted to hospital in two weeks. Minister Thewapperuma had to be rushed to hospital after a failed suicide attempt and a fasting campaign he staged to garner publicity in a bid to enroll nine children to Grade 1 at Meegahatenna Primary School. He was also arrested along with the parents of the school children over the same incident.

The nine mothers were arrested for threatening and forcing the authorities to admit their children to the school.