Undergrads’ attempt to march  on Temple Trees foiled

January 5, 2012, 9:58 pm , The Island.

by Dasun Edirisinghe

Thousands of irate Sri Jayewardenepura undergraduates marched in protest towards Temple Trees yesterday against a bomb attack by an unidentified gang on a statue put up in memory of fallen student leaders.

Police blocked protesting undergrads who demanded a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Traffic, along High Level road and Galle road, was held up for about two hours and a severe congestion seen on connecting roads leading to Colpetty Junction and Nugegoda.

Convener of the Inter University Students Federation, the organising body of the protest, Sanjeewa Bandara told The Island that they had dispersed after holding a short rally as authorities refused a meeting.

Bandara said that they had organised the protest demanding the arrest of those responsible for blasting bombs within the university premises, removal of Vice Chancellor Dr. N. L. A. Karunaratne and the ‘Rakna Lanka’ security personnel from the university’s main gate.

"University’s main gate is guarded by security personnel deployed by the Defence Ministry’s ‘Rakna Lanka’ firm," Bandara said alleging that they must be held responsible for hurling bombs at the statue.

He said the statue was located in the vicinity of the main gate and nobody could carry out the attack without the knowledge of the security guards.

According to him, the incident took place around 2:45 a.m. and police did not come to the scene until 5:30 am even though students had called the Mirihana police and 119 emergency hotline several times.

"When students came to the place from hostels, there was a person who introduced himself as Major Dassanayake and he is not attached to the security team," Bandara said adding he was the one who was involved in the incident with the help of ‘Rakna Lanka’ security guards.

Denying allegations levelled by students, Vice Chancellor Prof. N. L. A. Karunaratne said the attack had been carried out by a section of students to get media attention.

"If university administration wants to remove the statues, there is no need to blast bombs," he said, "we can get it done."

When contacted by The Island last evening, the Mirihana police said investigations were going on and no arrests had been done.