Angry mob attacks Puttalam DS

Puttalam group corr

The Puttalam Divisional Secretary and his official driver were admitted to the Puttalam hospital on Tuesday following an attack by a group of angry residents conducting a protest campaign at Kaladiya junction following the death of a resident who had been a victim of an attack by a wild elephant.

H A Dharmadasa, 54, of Palaviya, had died following an attack by an elephant when he ventured into a thicket to collect firewood.

Residents angered by this, held a picketing campaign at Kaladiya junction carrying the victim's body in a coffin demanding authorities to expedite the constitution of the proposed electrical fence to ward off elephants from Wilpattu and Tabbowa sanctuaries. As the protesters were blocking traffic on the Puttalam-Kurunegala road, the Divisional Secretary had gone to the scene in his official vehicle to disperse the crowd when they were attacked by a section of the crowd.

Puttalam Police are conducting investigations to arrest the assailants.