• Investigation relating to the recent assault incident of the Ragama Medical Faculty undergrads is underway

By Chaturanga Samarawickrama  

Coconut Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Keerthi Sri Weerasinghe has decided to step down from his post until the problematic situation eases.  He said that he is to hand over his resignation letter to the relevant authority yesterday.   

He also said that the investigation relating to the recent assault incident of the Ragama Medical Faculty undergrads is underway. 

“Therefore, I have decided to resign from the post. I have been given an official vehicle from the CDA for my official work,” he said.  

His resignation takes place following the incident where a vehicle attached to the CDA was allegedly used to carry out an attack on Ragama Medical Faculty students.  

Recently, MP Arundhika Fernando’s son and eight other suspects were arrested for assaulting university students and were granted bail by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court on Monday (7).  

The suspects were arrested in connection with the incident where a group of fourth year students attached to the Ragama Medical Faculty were assaulted.  

Later, the Secretary to the Ministry of Coconut Industries has instructed officials to conduct a preliminary investigation into the incident where a vehicle belonging to the Coconut Development Authority was allegedly used to carry out the assault on students of the Ragama Medical Faculty.   The Ministry Secretary said that the CDA had been informed to submit a report in this regard, adding that the car used in the attack belonged to the Coconut Development Authority.  

He said the driver of the vehicle was not a driver attached to the CDA, but a personal staff driver of the State Minister. 

• The driver of the vehicle was not a driver attached to the CDA, but a personal staff driver of the State Minister