Rumpus at Kelaniya campus

DHARMA Sri Abeyratne

The University of Kelaniya, except the medical faculty, was closed yesterday until further notice following a clash between university students and residents.

It is reported that some university students had been assaulted yesterday morning by an armed gang following a clash that erupted the previous night between students and residents. The gang reported to be residents of the area are from the villages of Wevalduwa and Kelaniya in the neighbourhood of the university.

The gang armed with iron bars had assaulted the students on their way to the university. Sources revealed that in some instances students lodged at boarding houses and hostels too were assaulted.

According to villagers an elderly person had been attacked by a group of university students the previous day while they were returning to the hostels after dinner.

However the victims of the attack have not yet been identified. Finally the university authorities had decided to close all faculties except the medical faculty until further notice. Police had taken steps to evacuate the students under the police protection from the university in buses. The villagers have set the pandal which was built for the aesthetic festival named 'Bihidora Abiyasa' on fire.

As a result the Bihidora Abiyasa program had to be suspended, university sources said.