Police said that a total of 12 persons have been arrested so far following the protest by university students at Union Place in Colombo today (18).

Eerier, police had said that 05 protesters including IUSF convenor Wasantha Mudalige, against whom an arrest warrant was pending, were arrested during the protest march in Colombo.

It was reported that actor Jehan Appuhami is also among the persons arrested during the protest.

The arrests were made after police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesting university students who were marching through Town Hall and towards Union Place despite police blockades.

Prior to that, police had blocked the road between Union Place and Town Hall due to the protest march by university students.

The protest had been organized by Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) against the incumbent government led by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Meanwhile police said that IUSF convenor Wasantha Mudalige was arrested today (18) by a special police team while he was allegedly evading police and fleeing.

Issuing a statement, police said that a warrant had been issued by the court against Wasantha Mudalige and that he was arrested at the Gaspaha Junction in Pettah.

Police also said that a 24-year-old resident of Chilaw who had sheltered the suspect was also arrested.