Ports Ministry driver involved in assault, remanded till April 18

A driver of the jeep belonging to the Media Unit Ministry had been involved in an assault after an argument that flared up because a three-wheel driver had obstructed the road down Bauddhaloka Mawatha in Colombo day-before-

The driver named D.L. Dilan Thivanka was the assailant who had been driving a jeep provided for the Media Secretary of the Minister of Ports, Arjuna Ranatunga and the incident had taken place when driving towards Torrington via Bauddhaloka Mawatha. The victim in this instance was one Dhammika Sudath who was driving a three-wheeler belonging to the Divaina newspaper. He had complained to the police saying that he was on his way to Kirullapona area to cover a media briefing of Bodu Bala Sena and the mediaman Sirisamantha Ratnasekera was in his company and close to Wijerama Junction a luxury jeep which came in the opposite direction had without any consideration had tried to make a turn. On that occasion, because of the delay to allow room for that vehicle to pass as a result of the impediment on the road at that time, the jeep had stopped on the middle of the road and the driver of the jeep had got down and come over to the three-wheeler and then got involved in an argument blurting out, "Ado ... do you know who I am ... you better know paraya ..." and finally had begun to assault him in the presence of the onlookers.

On that occasion a police officer of the Cinnamon Gardens Police who was on duty at that time had approached the scene to give his advice when the driver flaunting his ministerial strength had showed a don't care attitude to the police officer too. The police officer too was unable to take a step forward at that moment and the driver then after displaying his thug-level restarted the jeep and had gone away. Whatever it is, this assailant had not known that it was a reporter with a camera in his hand who was inside the three-wheeler. He in turn finished his duty and had got this published in the newspaper. If this issue had gone unnoticed with this incident not being flashed across the newspapers with the attendant photograph the following day, this would have gone under the carpet as yet another mishap faced by a three-wheel driver.

After subsequent enquiry on the jeep bearing number KJ 6245 it was revealed that the vehicle belonged to the chief of the media unit of Ports Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, Thameera Manju and thus according to the complaint lodged with the police, the Cinnamon Gardens Police managed to take the assailant driver into custody and produce him before Colombo Chief Magistrate which resulted in the driver being remanded till next 18th. The suspect driver is expected to be brought before an identification parade next 18th.