Armed Opposition gangs on rampage in Polonnaruwa:

UPFA campaign office attacked

Narrow escape for Minister Sirisena:

Bhakthi Dharmapriya Mendis, Gamini Obeysekara and M. Sarath Polonnaruwa correspondent

A group of about a thousand UNP and JVP supporters armed with clubs, iron rods and swords came in procession and attacked the Polonnaruwa election campaign office of the UPFA causing severe damage to it.

They also made efforts to attack SLFP General Secretary and Agriculture and Mahaweli Development Minister Maithripala Sirisena but Police and members of the Ministerial Security Division brought the group under control.

However, some of the Minister’s security personnel and the Polonnaruwa District Party Organizer Ranasinghe were slightly injured in the attack. They caused severe damage to the campaign office, Police said.

Police and the Minister’s security personnel had to make a great effort to prevent the attack on the Minister.

The election campaign office was completely damaged by the attack.

The Minister was attending a meeting of the SLFP Women’s Committee at the Pulathisipura auditorium and had arrived at the campaign office on hearing of the arrival of a group that came there in procession. The UNP and JVP thugs attempted to attack the Minister. Police and his bodyguard prevented the attack with difficulty. If the Minister was not taken away by the Police and not for his security he would have been severely injured, Police said.

Residents of the area said they had earlier informed the Police that a group of JVP and UNP supporters were collecting arms but apparently the Police had not checked the information and taken action against those who had collected arms.

Minister Maithripala Sirisena making a statement to the media after the incident said though NDF Presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka was pledging to usher in peace, law and order his supporters were sent on missions of violence. Polonnaruwa Police are investigating.