A third year student of the Arts Faculty of Colombo University who allegedly assaulted a lecturer of the same faculty was released on Rs.500,000 personal bail with two sureties by the Colombo Chief Magistrate today.

 

The student was produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court by the Cinnamon Gardens Police on Saturday and remanded him till December 12 for assaulting the lecturer Osanda Yasassri Gunaratne.

 

Yesterday the matter was taken up for inquiry before the Colombo Chief Magistrate Rashmi Singappuli by way of a motion and Counsel Weerasena Ranahewa appearing with Gamini Alwis, Hussain Azhar and Madura Welgama submitted that the incident had taken place due to the misunderstanding by the lecturer presuming that the suspect attempted to rag a fresher.

 

The counsel said the lecturer had noticed the suspect hauling a note book from the hand of the fresher. The lecturer on seeing this had warned the suspect which led to the incident. The counsel moved to grant bail to the suspect as it is a bail-able offence.

 

The Magistrate while releasing the suspect on bail had ordered him to appear before the Cinnamon Garden Police, on the last Sunday of every month between 9.00 am and 12.00 noon. He was also warned not to interfere with the prosecution witnesses.

 

The case was postponed for June 6. (T. Farook Thajudeen)