Police Constable arrested over incident involving NPP MP suspended from service

The Police Constable who was arrested and subsequently released on bail in connection with the assault incident involving Ratnapura District National People’s Power (NPP) Member of Parliament Shantha Pathma Kumara Subasingha, has been suspended from service pending further investigations, police stated.

He was arrested yesterday (22) by officers attached to the Embilipitiya Divisional Investigation Bureau on several charges, including criminal intimidation.

The Police Constable was subsequently granted bail after being produced before court.

Police earlier stated that a blood sample obtained from the police officer allegedly assaulted by a group including MP Shantha Pathma Kumara Subasingha will be sent to the Government Analyst’s Department.

According to the statement issued by the Police Media Division, at around 8:40 p.m. on December 20, a police constable attached to the Sooriyakanda Police Station, who was returning home after completing his shift, lodged a complaint through the 119 emergency hotline to the Kolonna Police Station.

According to the complaint, the police officer was assaulted by the NPP Member of Parliament and a group accompanying him near the Kalugala Temple and then had forcibly taken away his motorcycle.

The statement further noted that at around 10:10 p.m. the same day, NPP Ratnapura District MP Shantha Pathma Kumara Subasingha also filed a complaint with the Kolonna Police Station. The MP had alleged that while traveling in a cab from Kalugala toward Halwinna, a police constable attached to the Sooriyakanda Police Station blocked the road by placing his motorcycle across the path, stopped the cab and attempted to assault him.

Additionally, the police stated that the motorcycle of the constable was found on the road near the Kalugala Temple and was taken into custody by the Kolonna Police. The police officer was first admitted to the Kolonna Hospital and later transferred to the Embilipitiya Hospital.

The statement from police mentioned that hospital clinical records note the presence of an alcohol breath odor, according to the medical report of the officer. Meanwhile, since no narcotic substances were detected in the officer’s urine samples, arrangements are currently being made to obtain blood samples and forward them to the Government Analyst’s Department to determine whether alcohol had been consumed.

Furthermore, police stated that investigations into the alleged incident are being conducted by the Embilipitiya Divisional Crimes Investigation Bureau under the direct supervision of the Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of the Embilipitiya Division.