A Kalutara Municipal Council member was arrested by the Kalutara South Police following an alleged assault on a passer-by during a protest held by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) in Kalutara town on Wednesday afternoon (28).

Police said the protest was led by former minister Ajith P. Perera and took place in the centre of Kalutara town. The councillor taken into custody has been identified as Jayanath Navaratne.

According to police, the incident occurred when a man travelling along the road stopped his motorcycle near the protest site and made a remark questioning whether there were still “people who eat rice like cattle.” The comment reportedly angered the councillor, who is alleged to have assaulted the individual.

The victim is a young man from the Wadduwa–Pothupitiya area. After the incident, he visited the Kalutara South Police Station and lodged a formal complaint.

Police said the municipal councillor also submitted a complaint, claiming that the individual had disrupted what he described as a peaceful protest.

Following his arrest, the suspect was released on police bail, police said.

Former minister Ajith P. Perera said he had been informed of the incident but was not present at the location at the time it occurred.

Kalutara South Police said further investigations into the incident are ongoing.