Sri Lanka Police have stated that a viral social media video claiming that a supporter of the march from Kandy to Colombo demanding the release of imprisoned Venerable Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero was assaulted is misleading.
The video, shared by Venerable Thiththagalle Anandasiri Thero, showed an injured man and alleged that he had been attacked with a helmet by individuals linked to the ruling National People’s Power (NPP).
In the video, Thiththagalle Thero accused the government of allowing supporters to be attacked and called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Inspector General of Police to intervene.
However, preliminary investigations by the Werragula Police have revealed that the incident was unrelated to the march and stemmed from a personal dispute over traffic congestion.
According to police, the clash occurred on October 14 in front of the Veediyawatta Devalaya in Yakkala. An argument between a person travelling in a lorry for a personal matter and a motorcyclist reportedly escalated into an assault, with the motorcyclist attacking the lorry occupant with a helmet.
Police have recorded a statement from the injured lorry occupant, who is receiving treatment at Wathupitiwala Hospital. He stated that he had no connection to the march and that the incident resulted solely from a traffic dispute.
The motorcyclist involved in the clash is also receiving treatment for injuries at Gampaha Hospital, police said.
Police have expressed serious concern over attempts to use the incident and the injured man’s condition to spread unverified claims on social media and create public unrest by portraying the incident as an attack on a supporter of the march.
The Werragula Police said they would present the facts before the court and take appropriate legal action.
Police have also urged the public to exercise caution when viewing and sharing videos containing unverified information that could cause public disturbance.
