President Maithripala Sirisena has instructed the police and security forces to launch an impartial and independent investigation into the incident that took place in Digana, Kandy today, President’s Media Division said.
The President has instructed the police and the Army to implement a special program to ensure the safety of all communities in the area.
The President has further advised the Security Forces to work responsibly with all parties to prevent such occurrences in the future and take all necessary measures to restore peace in the area, the President’s Media Division said.
An unruly group on Monday (March 05) afternoon has set fire to several Muslim shops and houses in the capital city of the central hills destroying them. It was reported that a mosque was also attacked.
The tensions arose after a Sinhala man, MG Kumarasinghe, a resident of Ambalay village in Kandy, Theldeniya and a father of two was attacked by a group of people believed to be Muslims in Theldeniya in late last month. Kumarasinghe died on Friday (March 02) while receiving treatment at the Kandy Teaching Hospital Intensive Care Unit for his injuries suffered during the attack.
Theldeniya Police have arrested 24 people in suspicion of damaging the properties of Muslims in the town.
The Police said four people suspected of attacking Kumarasinghe last month have been arrested. The assailants, all residents of Ambagahalanda, Digana have been remanded.
Police say there is no evidence whatsoever that the assault was racially motivated.
Police Special Task Force (STF) was deployed in the area to bring the situation under control, according the Kandy police.
