UNP MP attacked by Premadasa supporters – state media

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 August 2010, 10:37 GMT]
Two special police units have been dispatched to apprehend the culprits who attacked UNP Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake and a group travelling with him in Beliatte early this week. According to the state owned Dinamina Sinhala daily newspaper, the attack against Ravi Karunanayake and members of the party were initiated by a group close to UNP Hambantota district MP Sajith Premadasa, who is seen as a primary contender for the party’s leadership position against Ranil Wickremesinghe.

According to the complaint made to the respective area police station, the culprits who had attacked Karunanayake have been identified as supporters of the UNP and those with links to Premadasa.

In the complaint it has been reported that the attackers were supporters of both Sajith Premadasa and UNP Hambantota district MP Dilip Wedaarachchi.

The complainant, W. B. Wimal, was quoted in the article as saying that Ravi Karunanayake had been visiting Hambantota to inspect why the UNP’s popularity is currently at its lowest in the Hambantota district when the MP was attacked.