Clash at statue installation site: PS members involved say police

Puttalam group corr

PUTTALAM: More than 12 persons were injured some of them seriously following a clash between two groups which occurred during a function at the Inginimitiya Government School grounds last Friday.

The function was held to mark the installation of Buddha statues in a new Budu Medura erected at the school in memory of Sunil Kumararatne, departed war hero by his parents. According to the complaint made to the Nawagattegama Police a group of unidentified person who stormed the place immediately after the installation of the statues had attacked the organisers with clubs and other missiles injuring some of them. Many others were injured during the stampede as the crowd ran helter skelter in panic. A tractor and some school furniture had also been damaged by the attackers.

Of the five seriously injured three were admitted to the Kurunegala Hospital and two to the Nawagattegama Hospital.

Most others had been discharged after receiving outdoor treatment.

Nawagaththegama police said initial investigations revealed that two newly elected members of the Nawagattegama Pradesheeya Sabha belonging to the UPFA and the UNP were behind this clash.

Investigations are continuing.