Police said that two employees have been arrested over an alleged attack on the Chairman and Executive Director of the Maga Neguma Construction Equipment Company at its office in Peliyagoda today (02).

In a communiqué, the Police Media Division said that the two suspects have been arrested by Peliyagoda Police and that both are residents of the Beliatta area, aged 57 and 49 years.

One of the suspects is reportedly the President of Maga Neguma Project’s driver’s association and the other suspect is a committee member of the same association.

They have been arrested according to a complaint that they attacked the chairman and executive director during a tea ceremony held at the Maga Neguma project office in Peliyagoda for the commencement of work in the year 2023.

A ceremony was organized today (02) in the morning to coincide with the commencement of duties in the year 2023 at the head office of the Maga Neguma Construction Equipment Company located in Peliyagoda, which comes under the purview of the Ministry of Transport and Highways.

After the religious observances in the morning, as the top officials of the company were preparing to address the employees present, Maga Neguma Company Chairman A.A. Yogendra Perera and Executive Director Mahesh Wickrama were attacked with food items including milk rice and traditional sweets by a group of workers.

Subsequently, the members of the trade union had proceeded to hold the chairman and the executive director of the Maga Neguma company under house arrest within their office, while alleging that employees are being arbitrarily removed and deprived of privileges including accommodation.

As a result of this, Peliyagoda Police and Special Task Force (STF) personnel were called in to control the situation at the office.

After around three hours, the trade union members then agreed to allow the Chairman and Executive Director to safely leave the premises.

It is also reported that this incident took place in the background of the Maga Neguma Company’s deputy general manager (finance) and two other officers being suspended pending the completion of investigations in connection with the misappropriation of Rs. 2 billion.