Milk Packets supplied at JO rally not contaminated - Nalin Bandara

While denying allegations made by several Joint Opposition members claiming their group of participants had been hospitalized due to food poisoning after consuming milk supplied in packets during the ‘Jana Balaya Colombata’ rally, Deputy Law and Order Minister Nalin Bandara Jayamaha today said nothing had been mixed with the milk. 

Speaking at a ceremony at Badulla yesterday he said according to the reports received by the government analysts, nothing had been mixed with to the milk that was were supplied in packets.
 
The “Janabalaya Kolambata” held in Colombo organised by the Joint Opposition (JO) on September 05.

One of the party activists had made a complaint to the Colombo Fort Police station along with a few milk packet samples and claimed they were contaminated.

“The milk packet samples were handed over to the Government Analysts by the Police and the Analyst’s report revealed that nothing had been added to the milk packets,” he said. 

The Minister also said the JO members used the milk packets to cover up their failures in organizing the rally and we again thank the JO members for showing their inefficiency to the people of this country.

According to police spokesman, SP Ruwan Gunasekera, a complaint had been made on September 10 by Warnakulasuriya Alex Nishantha, an Attorney at law, who was acting on behalf of the Wennappuwa Provincial Council, to the Colombo Fort Police station.

“In his complaint, he said the milk packets were given to 25 persons - including him - were found to have been contaminated. The milk packet which he had got had been submitted to the police,” he said.  

According to the court order, following case No. B993998/3/18, the milk packet samples were handed over to the Government Analysts’ Department on September 13.

The Government Analyst’s report was received on September 28 and revealed several tests including Cyanide, toxic metals, Pesticide poison and also to ascertain whether any suspected drugs had been diluted to the milk packets.

The report also said the milk packets were not opened before being issued to the Joint Opposition activists who came to take part at the rally. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama and Palitha Ariyawansa)

Video by Palitha Ariyawansa