Anti-SAITM protest sends 92 to hospital

Students obscure the Health Ministry sign with a banner after breaking into the building yesterday - Pic by Shameera Rajapakse

An Inter University Students’ Federation (IUSF) protest yesterday in front of the Health Ministry ended with 92 people being hospitalised, including six policemen who were deployed to control the situation. 

The protest march turned violent after police charged at the protesting students with batons, teargas and water cannons to disperse them after they surrounded the Health Ministry. 

Out of the 92 students arrested 55 were admitted to the National Hospital to receive further treatment, while the rest of the students have been discharged, Director of National Hospital Anil Jasinghe said. 

Among the admitted were 23 female students. According to him none of the injured was in critical condition.

One of the six policemen admitted to hospital suffered a heart attack and was transferred to the Cardiothoracic Unit of the National Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment after having an operation to have stents inserted, Jasinghe said. 

The university students attempted to forcibly enter the Health Ministry building in Maradana in violation of a court order issued by the Colombo Chief Magistrate. 

Earlier the Magistrate issued an order preventing IUSF students from forcibly entering state institutions and causing a public disturbance during their protest. The protesting students renewed their demand to abolish the controversial private medical school, the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM).