- Abusing power…
By Roving Eye
A few weeks after the inaugural session of the eighth parliament, newly elected United National Party (UNP) member of parliament for the Gampaha District Chatura Senaratne has been asked to appear before Negombo Magistrate Court on October 20, for allegedly threatening police officers and a group of political rivals who were under arrest at the Ragama Police, sources from the Ragama police said.A group of Senaratne’s supporters have also been in police custody over a clash with a group of supporters of another politician in the Gampaha District.
Sources who wished to remain anonymous said the Ragama police have filed a ‘B’ report in Negombo Magistrate Court last week following Senaratne’s unruly behavior to secure the release of some of his supporters who were arrested following a clash between two groups at the Ragama three wheeler stand on September 14.
Chathura Senaratne who is the son of the Health and Indigenous Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, had come to the Ragama police on Monday, August 14 evening and had demanded the police officers on duty to release his supporters who have been arrested by the police after a clash near the Ragama overhead bridge.
“Two groups had started a minor argument at the three wheeler park near the Ragama overhead bridge. Four youths had got injured and were admitted to the Ragama Hospital and the others who were involved in the incident were arrested by the Ragama police. Until the newly elected MP Senaratne walked into the police station with his security and inquired about the incident and wanted the duty officers to release his supporters we didn’t know that politics was involved in this brawl,” the sources claimed.
The sources further said how MP Senaratne reacted to the police officer who said that he cannot release the arrested until they are produced in court.
“Senaratne had meanwhile threatened the rival group of his supporters who were under arrest with death before leaving the police station,” police sources said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kavinda Jayawardena who is also newly elected member of parliament from the Gampaha District under the UNP list and son of the former UNP Minister the late Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, when contacted said that the fight that had taken place near the Ragama overhead bridge was a minor matter although it was said that the clash was between two groups belonging to two politicians.
“This was not a political brawl. Both Chatura and I are good friends and even related to each other. So what is there for us to fight? We got elected to parliament for the first time from the same district. When I was told that some of my supporters who had worked for my election campaign had got involved in a fight with another group supposed to have supported Chatura in his election campaign, I called the police and wanted them to take action against those who are at fault irrespective of their affiliation to any politician,T Dr. Jayawardena said.
All attempts to contact Chatura Senaratne for a comment failed. Although a text message was forwarded seeking to get his side of the story for the allegations leveled, Senaratne did not respond until the paper went to press.