Five soldiers injured in attack by detainees

1 September 2015 08:58 am

Five army personnel were injured when attacked by a group of detainees at the Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre for drug addicts in Kanda Kadu, Welikanda, Polonnaruwa last evening.

Commissioner General for Rehabilitation, Major General Janaka Ratnayake accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Brigadier Darshana Liyanage had visited the centre to deliver a lecture to the detainees.  

The vehicle convoy had been attacked on the way back by a group of detainees who demanded that they be freed.

“Nearly 460 inmates are housed in the rehabilitation centre. Some are being detainedfor a two-year period whilethe others for only a year depending on the court order. However, 158 of the inmates who had been detained for two years requested the Commissioner General to reduce their rehabilitation period by one year.They behaved aggressively when the Commissioner General said he would require two weeks to solve the issue,” Brigadier Liyanage said.

He said the inmates had attacked the vehicles of the officials when they were leaving the centre. Three of the injured were admitted to the Polonnaruwa Hospital. Kanda Kadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre Director Brigadier Sarath Wijesinghe had also suffered minor injuries.

Police said no arrests had been made so far.  (Sanath Desmond)