Ranil under fire in Balapitiya

• Angry crowds attack Opposition Leader’s vehicle; UNP claims Govt. sponsored the protests

By Dharisha Bastians

The convoy of Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was attacked in Balapitiya last evening, as it was returning to Colombo following a visit of funeral homes of fishermen who had been killed at sea along the Southern Coast due to the recent inclement weather.

Party sources told Daily FT that Wickremesinghe’s vehicle had been surrounded at the Balapitiya junction as it was returning to Colombo on the Galle Road after a visit of funeral houses in Moratuwa, Beruwala and Balapitiya.

Wickremesinghe, UNP MP Wijedasa Rajapakse and Party General Secretary Tissa Attanayake had been in the vehicle when the attack took place, party officials said.

His visit was aimed at obtaining details ahead of a special statement Wickremesinghe is scheduled to make in Parliament today, the Opposition Leader’s aides said.

Wickremesinghe’s security detail does not include a decoy vehicle and he does not travel in atinted vehicle, they said.

Angry crowds attempting to remove the Opposition Leader physically from his vehicle were prevented by Wickremesinghe’s security officers and police in the area who were trying to control the crowd, Party sources said. Wickremesinghe’s aides said that police had made a valiant effort to ensure no harm came to the UNP Leader.

En route to Balapitiya the Opposition Leader’s security had been informed that a hostile group was gathering at one fisherman’s home, prompting Wickremesinghe to decide against travelling to the location, party sources said. They said it was decided that the UNP Leader would visit other homes in the area and return to Colombo.UNP officials claim the Government had organised the protests.

UPFA Galle District Parliamentarian Sajin Vaas Gunewardane who arrived on the scene subsequently promised relief to the families of the fishermen killed in the storm and said he would not permit anyone to gain petty political mileage from their deaths.47 fishermen have been confirmed dead and 19 more remain missing off the Southern coast due to the stormy weather experienced over the weekend.