Rosy says she was insulted, but police deny

UNP frontliner Rosy Senanayake and the party’s Anuradhapura District MP Chandrani Bandara yesterday alleged that they were abused by Bambalapitiya police Inspector Upul Senanayake and several other police personnel during the protest held against the soaring cost of living but police dismissed the allegation.
Ms. Senanayake told the Daily Mirror that she was with Ms. Bandara inside her car near the Majestic city when the Anuradhapura MP tooted the horn at 12 noon. She said just then the OIC and the policemen came towards her car insulting them in abusive language.
The police have also ordered them to open the shutters and started banging the car with batons.
“I was shocked to see police officers stooping to such levels,” Ms. Senanayake said.
She said the party lodged a complaint with the IGP at the police head quarters.
Inspector Senanayake meanwhile dismissed the allegation saying he had returned from courts only at 12.30 pm. “The protest was over when I got there and I asked whether there was any incident and my officers said the protest was calm,” he said charging that the story might have been fabricated for publicity purposes.
Meanwhile the police had written down the numbers of vehicles which tooted horns at the protest in Lipton Circus where Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and, SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem participated.
The protests in Kandy were stopped by the police who prevented the UNP Central Provincial Councillors taking part.
Mr. Wickremesinghe said the government had got panicky over the protest and tried to get a court order to stop it but was unsuccessful in its effort. He said ironically it was President Mahinda Rajapaksa who launched similar protests when he was in the opposition.
Mr. Hakeem said the government had got alarmed over the rising protests by the people against the government. He said more protests would follow in the days to come.