Maithripala Speaks
Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena yesterday commenting on the incident at Pasikudah where his son Daham was allegedly involved in a brawl with DIG Ravi Vidyalankara’s son Asela said the incident should not be blown out of proportion. He said the law must be allowed to take its course.
Explaining what happened on Sunday afternoon he told
Daily Mirror that he had followed the incident from the very beginning.
“At 5.00 p.m., I called my son who was on a trip to Passdekudah with some friends. He said the Pasikudah police were taking them to the police station on charges of having hitting a DIG’s son. There were 14 in my son’s group. Nine of them including my son are law students. I spoke to the Pasikudah OIC and told him to tell me the truth. I said if my son had done something wrong I will take the victim’s side.
The OIC said there has been a clash between two groups of youngsters and one had a small cut on his lip and therefore he was taken to Batticaloa hospital. I also told the OIC to take my son and the group to the police station which he did.
Then I spoke to DIG Vidyalankara and he told me that my son had attacked his son. Then I went to the Pasikudah Police station where my son and his friends were. Then I went to Batticaloa Hospital and asked Asela what happened. He said there was a skirmish between the two parties and he was alright. Calling me uncle he said not to worry.
There was a small cut and a dressing on his chin. Mr. Vidyalankara told me that he wanted to arrest my son and his friends and file charges against them for attacking his son and I said go ahead,” Minister Sirisena said. “I noticed a scar on Asela’s chest and when I inquired what it was and he told me he had undergone surgery some time back. DIG Vidyalankara said he wants to take his son to Colombo to check whether there was any damage to the stitches or internal bleeding but it never happened.
There was an ASP, SP an SSP in addition to DIG Vidyalankara at the Batticaloa hospital at that time. My son and his friends were checked for alcohol by the police and it was found that there were fully sober at the time of the incident. I requested the DIG to release my son on Police bail as his son had only a minor injury but he did not respond positively and left for Colombo. But they had been released only on Monday morning.”
The minister said he even offered his official vehicle or an ambulance to bring Asela to Colombo.
He said Daham had never said he was the son of the future Prime Minister. The minister said his son never spoke loudly even at home
“What I want is a thorough investigation and justice to both parties,” he said.
