Police fired at protesters, victim’s brother-in-law says

16 February 2012 07:59 am

The police fired at protesters in Chilaw when they were preparing for the second day of protests, the brother-in-law of the deceased in the incident that took place in Chilaw, Vijaya Warnakulasuriya, said today.

“The police shot at us with no warning," Mr. Warnakulasuriya said speaking of the incident. The villagers were proceeding to the town for a second day of protests when the police stopped them short near their fishing villages, he said.

"We saw the police take position to shoot us and we pleaded with them that we had no weapons," Mr. Warnakulasuriya said recalling the incident that took place in Chilaw.
Mr. Warnakulasuriya also said that three others injured in the incidents are receiving treatment at the intensive care unit of the Chilaw National Hospital.

The situation is relatively calm at the moment, however, there is heavy security in the Chilaw town at the moment with the presence of armoured vehicles, Army personal and police. Fishermen in Negombo will carry out a protest at 2pm today. (Sumaiya Rizvi)