State Minister Arundika Fernando resigns

State Minister Arundika Fernando says that he is resigning from his ministerial position. 

The decision to step down comes in the backdrop of the SLPP parliamentarian’s son surrendering to police in connection with the incident of attacking medical faculty students in Ragama. 

Arundika Fernando’s son, a 23-year-old named Avinda Randila Jehan Fernando, was arrested after he surrendered to Ragama Police last night through a lawyer.

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

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 one of them, an injured student, is being treated at the Negombo Hospital.

The accused including the MP’s son have been remanded untiol February 07 after being produced at the Wattala Magistrate’s Court. They are also scheduled to be presented in 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.

Speaking regarding the incident yesterday, the State Minister had said that if anyone connected to him is involved in the incident, he would definitely take a disciplinary decision against them following the respective investigation.   

“Also, if anyone says that I am involved in it, I will definitely resign from the ministerial post if it is proved.”