UPFA MP Nimal ‘Nilvala’ Wijesinghe, accused of assaulting a Grama Niladhari, has been released on Rs 1,500 cash bail and Rs 100,000 surety bond after he surrendered to the Kurunegala Magistrate’s Court today. The Kurunegala District Parliamentarian, who is popularly known as Nilvala Wijesinghe, had assaulted a Grama Niladhari looking into the illegal felling of a Jack Tree, says the National Organiser of the Sri Lanka Grama Niladari Association, Neville Wijeratne. However, Police Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana yesterday said that the MP had fled from his home and the area when a police team had visited the residence in order to arrest him. Wijesinghe is charged with assaulting Ananda Wimalasiri, the Grama Seva officer in-charge-of the Kurunegala-Ambakote 617 division. Wimalasiri was assaulted on Saturday (July 19) after he had reportedly attempted to prevent a group of individuals illegally felling trees within the Ambakote Grama Niladhari Division. When the Grama Seva officer, on being informed of the illegal act, had confronted the individuals, the men had stated that they were MP Nilwala Wijesinghe’s men and therefore urged him to refrain from interfering in their affairs. They had later contacted the MP over the phone and Wijesinghe had asked them to hand the phone over to the Wimalasiri. However, the Grama Seva officer had refused to speak with the MP, saying that he cannot do so while on official duty. Shortly afterwards, MP Nilwala Wijesinghe had arrived at the location and had verbally abused the official in filth before assaulting him. Wimalasiri is currently receiving treatment at the Kurunegala Hospital.