Hirunika, 14 others released on cash and surety bail

• Police produced 15 suspects before the Colombo Chief Magistrate

By T. Farook Thajudeen   

Hirunika Premachandra and fourteen other protesters including a man were released yesterday on a cash bail of Rs 10,000 with a surety bail of Rs. 50,000 with two sureties on each of the protesters, by the Colombo Chief Magistrate.   

The Cinnamon Garden Police produced 15 suspects before the Colombo Chief Magistrate Nandana Amarasinghe yesterday, allegedly for     obstructing the Cinnamon Garden Police officers from performing their duties during a protest at the Torrington Square.   
The Director of the Colombo Crime Division (CCD ) ASP Neville De Silva appearing for the prosecution submitted that a team of protestors had staged a protest at the Independent Square at Torrington and when the Police obstructed them, the protesters had marched towards the UN Office in Colombo via Premakeerthi De Alwis Mawatha and Bauddhaloka Mawatha and once again had staged a street drama near the UNO office obstructing the public.  

ASP Silva also told Court that the protestors attempted to march towards President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s official residence in Paget Road in Colombo disregarding police barriers.   

The ASP said that they arrested a woman who tried to gate crash into Cinnamon Garden Police and it had provoked the other protesters who gathered near the entrance of Cinnamon Garden Police and staged another protest against the arrest of the woman.   

The Counsel contended that it is normal to wear costumes similar to those worn by the characters that they were imitating during a street drama.

• The protestors had attempted to march towards President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s official residence in Colombo disregarding police barriers