Thambuttegama protesters granted bail

Fifty-one persons arrested and remanded in connection with the protest in Thambuttegama have been granted bail by the Thambuttegama Magistrate’s Court. 

The case was postponed until April 02, Ada Derana reporter said. 

The protesters including the President of the Rajanganaya Joint Farmers’ Association were arrested and remanded until today by the court. 

A large number of villagers including farmers gathered at the Thambuttegama town on Feb. 28 and staged a protest blocking Kurunegala-Anuradhapura road at Police Junction.

The angry mobs pelted stones at the Thambuttegama Police Station and also stormed the premises after they were instructed to clear the road for traffic.

Riot police were later deployed to disperse the protesters. Police fired tear gas and water cannons at protesters who were attacking the Thambuttegama Police Station with stones.

Fifty protesters were arrested for causing damages to public property and unruly behavior while the President of the farmers association was also arrested on March 2. 

The protest was launched against the alleged granting of permission to a Chinese bottled water company to utilize the Rajanganaya Wewa, which is supplying water to 17,000 acres of cultivation.

However, the water board has denied that the project was for a bottled water company and clarified that the project was initiated to supply clean drinking water to residents of the area, which has seen the raid spread of chronic kidney disease.