At least ten MPs of the Joint Opposition (JO) would be taken into custody during the next couple of days for staging protests in Hambantota in violation of a court order banning demonstrations, a senior police officer said yesterday.
Police said those MPs had led protests and participated in a march violating the court order. The MPs had been identified by a special team of policemen who scrutinised the video footage of the protest march. Some of the MPs had been identified for instigating violence and leading the protestors to attack policemen on duty, the officer said.
Police said those MPs had led protests and participated in a march violating the court order. The MPs had been identified by a special team of policemen who scrutinised the video footage of the protest march. Some of the MPs had been identified for instigating violence and leading the protestors to attack policemen on duty, the officer said.
Police had obtained video clips from private media organisations to identify the leaders of the protests. In addition to the MPs a large number of other persons too had been identified for arrest and they too would be taken into custody in the coming days, the senior police officer said.
Several persons had already been taken into custody by the Hambantota police and they were being questioned and their statements were being recorded for the further investigations, the officer said, adding that among those in the custody were former local government members and ex-chairmen of Pradeshiya Sabhas.
