Refuting allegations of his involvement in the Hettipola incidents on May 13, SLFP General Secretary and UPFA Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara told the Sunday Observer that he did not intercede to get police bail for the suspects arrested by the Bingiriya police. Six suspects allegedly connected to the riots in the North Western Province were arrested by Bingiriya police on May 12 and transferred to the Hettipola police station for additional safety. However, angry mobs in hundreds surrounded the Hettipola police station the following day demanding the release of the suspects.
“I spoke to the DIG at that moment. He assured me that Police bail could be granted to the suspects. They had decided it at a meeting held at Vijitha Maha Vidyalaya, Weerapokuna that morning. So the granting of police bail had already been decided when I reached the place. I honestly don’t have any connection with any of the suspects, I only wanted to control the situation,” he said.
Despite repeated attempts, Police Media spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekera was not available for a comment.