The Kaduwela Magistrate remanded the Southern Provincial Council member M.K. Kasun and his wife Tharaka Perera till March 13, for assaulting a private bus driver at Koswatte on Friday.
 Southern Provincial Council member M.K Kasun is the son of former Southern PC member Damulle Ranjith (AKA Chandi Malli), who was killed in broad daylight within the High Security Zone at the Colombo Fort. Damulle Ranjith and his family are close supporters of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Here is a picture of Kasun, his wife and family taken with Rajapaksa, sometime ago. |
They were produced before the Magistrate by the Thalangama Police after being arrested for the brutal assault of the bus driver plying on bus route no.177 from Kaduwela to Kollupitiya, following an argument.
The Provincial Councillor’s wife too had joined her husband in assaulting the driver while brandishing a pistol.
The Police had seized a pistol and several live bullets from their possession.
A person in the bus had captured the incident in his camera. The bus driver had been assaulted following a heated argument.
The bus driver who was assaulted had been admitted to the Mulleriyawa Hospital.
Further investigations into the incident are being carried out by Thalangama Police
Southern Provincial Councilor member M.K Kasun, a pohottuwa supporter is the son of notorious former Southern Provincial Councilor M.K.Ranjith alias Chandi Malli.
Chandi Malli was a close associate of former President, Kurunegala district MP Mahinda Rajapaksa. He was shot dead in front of the Bank of Ceylon’s York Street branch on May 25, 2003 allegedly due to an underworld clash.
‘Public can get a taste of what Pohottuwa palanaya would be like’
Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera had sharp words not only for Kasun and his wife, but also for their political leaders who have been slow to condemn them.
“Now the public can get a taste of what Pohottuwa Palanaya would be like,” Minister Samaraweera said.
“In the middle of a state of Emergency, trotting around with illegal firearms, brandishing them in public, assaulting innocent civilians over trivial disputes in broad daylight, that is how they want to run the country,” Samaraweera charged.
“How many more Pohottuwa politicians are out on the streets today brandishing illegal firearms, intimidating innocent people and inciting public unrest?,” he asked.
“Will Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family come out and condemn this behavior? How can they, after turning a blind eye to such brutality by their supporters in the past,” he alleged.
Sajith condemns this type of brutish lawlessness
Housing and Construction Minister Sajith Premadasa vehemently condemned the assailants, saying “this type of brutish lawlessness is a true representation of the thuggery that the country could expect if politicians of this ilk are allowed to hijack control of the government.”
The Minister further recalled that this is not the first time in recent memory that supporters of Mahinda Rajapaksa have threatened and assaulted innocent people.
He was referring to the 2014 incident when a mob led by gun-toting Hambantota Mayor Eraj Ravindra Fernando sprung upon several UNP Parliamentarians who were on a fact finding mission to the Hambantota port and harbour.
“In 2014, they got off scot-free. Today, they will have to answer to an independent criminal justice system,” Minister Premadasa added.
‘Pohottuwa supporters trying to take law into their own hands’
Highways Minister and UNP General Secretary Kabir Hashim denounced Southern Provincial Councillor M.K.Kasun and his wife Tharaka Perera for their brutal assault of a bus driver in Koswatte.
“This woman can clearly be seen brandishing a loaded firearm at the crowd and using the weapon to assault an innocent bus driver. This man should be ashamed. Provincial Councillors swear an oath to the Constitution, but their allegiance is clearly devoted to returning Sri Lanka to the ways that their political leaders used to govern,” Minister Hashim said.
“To them, the rule of law means that any Pohottuwa supporter can take the law into his own hands, and all who cross them must cow down and take public beatings or wait silently for their white van to arrive,” Hashim added with disgust.
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