Police say rumours baseless:

GIRL BOY AFFAIR CAUSED PEPILIYANA ATTACK

Govt. requests public vigilance:

Sandasen Marasinghe, Disna Mudalige and Ridma Disssanayake

Although rumours abound on the tense situation created by an attack on a textile shop in Pepiliyana by an unruly mob on Thursday night, the root cause of the incident was a personal dispute, said Police Spokesman SP Buddhika Siriwardena.

He said a love affair between a youth and an underage girl had been the reason for the attack on this reputed textile store in Pepiliyana. A violent group attacked and pelted stones at the popular clothing store causing severe damage to the premises and merchandise.

The commotion that also caused injuries to one person, was brought under control after the deployment of a special Police team. Police investigations have commenced into the incident. He said that various baseless rumours were circulating regarding this matter, which could have serious repercussions.

The government requested the public to be vigilant over the activities of certain groups that are out to foment violence by provoking the public. These groups are intent on creating ethnic disharmony and disturbing the peace. Therefore, it is the obligation of the public to protect the hard earned peace achieved by the Security Forces under the guidance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and resisist attempts to reverse the people’s victory.

The Government Information Department in a press release yesterday noted, it is the responsibility of all citizens in Sri Lanka to safeguard the peace at this moment, when local as well as international inimical forces are conspiring to ignite ethnic clashes and religious disputes to destroy the prevailing atmosphere of freedom in Sri Lanka.

“It also requested the full cooperation of the media to promote unity and correlation among the communal groups and to make people aware on the recent situation. It further stated the moves to trigger disharmony in society are an attempt to tarnish the image of the country internationally.

The press release also requested the people to stay alert on such anti-democratic, extremist and terrorist activities that destroy national and private property and to refrain from supporting such activities.

It also requested the people to draw the prompt attention of the Government towards such attempts. It stressed the need for all Sri Lankans to stand together to defeat this conspiracy keeping in mind that we are a proud nation that lived for centuries in unity, while maintaining religious and cultural identities.

Ven Galabodaatte Gnanasara Thera of the Bodu Bala Sena Organization at a press conference said yesterday said the organization urges the authorities to bring the culprits of this attack on the Pepiliyana textile shop to book. He added that the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities are living in peace and harmony in this country. The inimical forces in certain Western countries do not like peaceful co-existence in our country.

The Thera also added that various groups attempt to spread rumors against Bodu Bala Sena organization as the same has rendered a great service to the Buddhist community in the country. He also added that a large group of Muslims in Kandy appreciated the Bodu Bala Sena activities.