Ponnambalam faces travel ban over altercation with Police

• A video of the MP being involved in the altercation with police was widely shared on social media

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya and Romesh Madushanka   

The Kilinochchi Magistrate has imposed a travel ban on Ceylon Tamil Congress leader MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam over the incident that occurred in Jaffna between MP Ponnambalam and the Police recently.   The Magistrate also ordered Ponnambalam to issue a statement to the Maruthenkerni Police.   

Meanwhile, the MP said that officers from the Kollupitiya Police had come to his house in Colombo to serve the order.   

“I refused to accept it as I can’t read or write Sinhala. They subsequently read it to me in Sinhala saying that all they needed to do was to inform me. Accordingly, they informed me that I needed to produce myself at the Maruthenkerni Police Station on June 08 at 10 a.m.,” the MP said.   

He said the Police had made an application to the Kilinochchi Magistrate to ban him from foreign travel until he surrendered to the Maruthenkerni Police.   

A heated argument erupted between MP Ponnambalam and officers in civvies, including an intelligence officer, when the MP arrived at a public meeting held at Vadamarachchi East recently. Police said the MP had gone to the meeting without Police security, and intelligence officers had been deployed for his protection.   

A video of the MP being involved in the altercation with police was widely shared on social media.   

Meanwhile, the Maruthenkerni Police has arrested two persons including a 42-year-old woman for obstructing the duties of police during the altercation by the MP with the Police.   
Police said the woman was remanded till today (7) by the Kilinochchi Magistrate.