State Minister’s son arrested over assault on medical students

The son of State Minister Arundika Fernando has been arrested over the assault on medical faculty students after he surrendered to the police.

Avinda Randila Jehan Fernando, aged 23, had surrendered to the Ragama Police last night (Feb. 02) through a lawyer.

The BMW used by the assailants was meanwhile taken into custody in the area of Kalubowila, the police said.

A total of seven suspects involved in the incident are currently under arrest on charges of assault, causing injuries, forceful entry, unlawful assembly and misuse of a vehicle belonging to a state institution.

Six were apprehended yesterday and five of them were remanded after being produced before the court. The other suspect, an injured student, is being treated at the Negombo Hospital.

The arrestees are slated to be taken to Welisara Magistrate’s Court for an identification parade.

It was reported yesterday that a group of 10-15 outsiders had forcibly entered the men’s hostel of the Kelaniya University’s Faculty of Medicine in Ragama at around 3.00 a.m. and attacked several students.

As per reports, four students who sustained injuries in the incident were admitted to the Colombo North Teaching Hospital in Ragama. One of them was later transferred to the Negombo Hospital for further treatment.

The suspects had reportedly arrived in two cars and had fled after the attack, however, the students had managed to apprehend one of the individuals along with a car, which reportedly belongs to the Coconut Development Authority. 

An official ID, issued in 2018 to a driver of State Minister Arundika Fernando’s personal staff, was found inside the car.

The police recorded statements from almost 10 eyewitnesses who were present at the time of the incident.

Meanwhile, Minister of Public Security Sarath Weerasekara directed the Inspector-General of Police to conduct a thorough investigation into the attack on Medical Faculty students in Ragama.

“I have already instructed the IGP to carry out a thorough and complete investigation into the incident,” he said, adding that under the supervision of the Senior DIG in charge of Western Province, the SSP in charge of Kelaniya division has already dispatched two special police teams to conduct investigations and arrest the suspects.