Timber smuggler attacks regional reporter who exposed illegal felling

FMM condemns the attack on  journalist

The journalist had exposed  unauthorised felling of trees by the suspect who was earlier arrested with over 75  logs

The Free Media Movement (FMM) has strongly condemned the attack on Ridimaliyadda regional reporter Vimukthi Sanjaya Perera who is responsible for exposing illegal tree felling and other nefarious activities in the area. 

The media rights group complained that the journalist had been brutally assaulted by an alleged timber smuggler whose illegal activities were exposed by the journalist. Following the assault, Vimukthi Sanjaya Perera, who sustained severe injuries, was first admitted to the Uraniya Regional Hospital and later transferred to the Mahiyanganaya Base Hospital.

“It is reported that the timber smuggler, who lured the Ridimaliyadda Divisional Secretary and other officials, as well as journalist Vimukthi, by providing false information regarding a timber smuggling incident, isolated Vimukthi midway and assaulted him. During the attack, his camera and other equipment were also damaged,” statement issued by FMM Convener Lasantha De Silva and Secretary Dileesha Abeysundara noted. 

At that moment, the timber smuggler also severely scolded the Ridimaliyadda Divisional Secretary, who attempted to rescue Vimukthi, and later released a video recording of the incident on the internet, the FMM stated. 

The FMM complained that the timber smuggler who assaulted Vimukthi Sanjaya on September 19 was freely roaming around the area and demanded that legal action should also be taken arrest the suspect.

However, the alleged attacker Waththegedara Nimesh Madushanka alias “Kota Mdhu”  had been arrested by Ridimaliayadda police after he surrendered to the police on Monday (22) and the Mahiyanganaya Magistrate has remanded him till October 2. 

Divisional Secretary Thakshila Gunaratne has also lodged a  complaint at the police as she and other officials too,  had been misled with a false information to carry out the planned attack. 

“The attack on me followed after I exposed an incident of illegal tree felling in June this year. The suspect has a history of getting involved in a number of nefarious activities in the area,” journalist Vimukthi Sanjaya Perera told the Daily Mirror. The journalist had exposed  unauthorised felling of trees by the suspect who was earlier arrested with over 75  logs. 

“On September 19, the Divisional Secretary has received information about an incident of illegal tree felling and,  after hearing this,  I followed the Divisional Secretary on my motorbike. However my way was blocked with a three-wheeler and the suspect started assaulting me and did so for nearly half an hour while scolding me in filth,” he said. The assailant had continued to attack the journalist who was bleeding from his nose and lips at Uraniya on Bibile- Mahiyanganaya main road. During the attack,  my spectacles were smashed and he also damaged my camera and other reporting equipment,” he added. 

Additional reporting and pics by Ranjitha Karunaweera