‘Personal dispute cause of Vavunativu arson’

The incident where a religious centre, a grocery and four houses were destroyed by setting fire in Vavunativu on Saturday night was a result of a personal dispute between two groups, Police Media Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said.

He said the police have arrested a suspect in connection though some had attempted to label the incident as a clash between the majority and minority communities, which is completely false. Meanwhile, police said the tear gas canister which landed in the Badulla Hospital while Badulla Police were trying to disperse a group of protestors opposite Badulla Hospital was not purposely aimed at the hospital premises.

SSP Rohana said yesterday the incident occurred when the police used tear gas to disperse a mob that protested due to a misconception the police was inefficient and not apprehending a lorry driver responsible for knocking down an oxygen supplier to the Badulla Hospital. The accident opposite the hospital critically injured the latter. SSP Rohana said the tear gas was used to disperse the protesters and not aimed at the hospital premises. “However an investigation into how the tear gas canister landed at the hospital has commenced,” he said.

YG