Horana rubber factory owner surrenders to Court; remanded until 11 May

The owner of the rubber factory in Ballapitiya, Horana has surrendered to the Horana Magistrate’s Court yesterday through a lawyer and was remanded till 11 May, police said.

Horana Chief Magistrate Jayaruwan Dissanayake remanded the rubber factory owner Don Sarath Wijeratne, a resident of Longdon Place in Colombo, until 11 May.

President’s Counsel and Bar Association President U. R. Silva and a team of lawyers represented the owner of the factory.

Five people, including two employees and three residents, were killed on 19 April after a worker at the rubber factory fell into a tank of ammonia and co-workers and residents tried to save him. In addition, 34 people have fallen ill after inhaling ammonia fumes.

The police had arrested the manager of the factory A. K. D. R. Edirisinghe, and the Laboratory manager Inoka Sajeewani over the deaths earlier. They are remanded till 11 May as well.

The Director General of Labor has said that legal action will be taken against the rubber factory for failing to take safety precautions.