Sri Lanka: Ex-President's son arrested for anti-India protest

NewsBharati 12-Oct-2017

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Colombo, October 12: Sri Lanka's MP Namal Rajapaksa, son of ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been arrested for leading a violent anti-India protest. Rajapaksa was protesting outside the Indian consulate in Hambantota over the government's alleged plans to sell an airport built and named after his father.

The protest was held last Friday against the leasing out of Mattala International Airport to India. He was caught on camera raising anti-India slogans. The protest, organized by the Joint Opposition (JO), was held against plans to give the Mattala International Airport to India on a long term lease.

The suspects were arrested and produced before Hambantota Magistrate Manjula Karunaratne at his official residence at about 10.00pm yesterday, where they were ordered to be kept in remand custody till October 16.

The suspects are accused of illegal assembly, damaging public property, causing injuries to police officers and obstructing their duties, and violating a court order. A total of 40 suspects have so far been arrested in connection with last week's protest.

Namal Rajapaksa Anti India protest protest Hambantota Mattala International Airport protest Joint Opposition JO Airport Sri Lanka India