Panadura South Police filed plaints against two journalists for using criminal force and threatening HQI Chief Inspector Indika Thushara de Silva inside the Panadura South Police Station on February 20.
When the case was called before the Panadura Chief Magistrate Chandana Liyanage on August 29, the two provincial journalists appeared before Court on previous bail.
Sergeant Ananda filing plaints against the duo told Court that the duo had had a altercation with the HQI, Chief Inspector Indika Thushara de Silva on February 20 when a candidate of the Podujana Peramuna (Pohottuwa) died while on his way to sign nomination papers for the local elections. The body had been taken the Panadura Hospital mortuary and the two journalists had attempted to enter the hospital for a photograph of the dead candidate.
The relatives of the dead candidate had objected to the two journalists and an argument had ensued between the relatives of the candidate and the journalists opposite the hospital gate. Policemen had taken the two journalists to the Panadura North Police Station for questioning. They had later provoked the Panadura North Police HQI Chief Inspector Indika De Silva and was involved in a heated argument with him stating that they could transfer him out of the Panadura South Police station and threatened to report him to the Panadura ASP.
The two journalists had abused the HQI and obstructed his duties and later they had fled the police station.
The police charged the two journalists for using criminal force and obstructing the Panadura South Police HQI, Chief Inspector Indika Thushara de Silva from performing his duties on February 20.
The charges were read out by the Court Mudaliyar and the two accused pleaded not guilty.
The Chief Magistrate issued summons on the police witnesses and warned the accused to appear in Court on October 10.
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