Police to continue hunting IUSF activists

Tuesday, 27 June 2017 00:13 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Police said yesterday that they would continue to arrest the university student activists who had forcibly entered the Health Ministry premises and caused damage to State property in the clash between the university students and the Police.

Police Spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara told Daily FT that the Police was conducting two investigations into the violent behaviour of the university students of the Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) and the damage caused to ministry property.

“The officers of the two investigation teams – the Maradana Police and the Colombo Crime Division - has already recorded statements from the ministry officials, university students and the policemen who were on duty that day,” he said.

Gunasekara said that the police were also using the CCTV camera footage of the ministry to identify those who were responsible for the damage, which is estimated to be worth millions of rupees.

Protesting against SAITM, university students led by the IUSF stormed the Health Ministry on 21 June, defying the court order issued by the Colombo Chief Magistrate to protest. Over 85 students were injured during the clash between them, the police and the Special Task Force.

Gunasekara said that five student activists including the Convener of the IUSF Lahiru Weerasekara had been taken into custody over the violent clash.

“Further investigations are being carried out into the incident and we will continue to arrest all those who acted in an unruly manner causing damage to State property,” he said. (SS)

The Colombo Crime Division has deployed five teams to arrest university students who were involved in the clash and according to ASP Gunasekara the Police have identified over 100 students so far.(SS)