Weligama police have arrested a suspect in connection with an attack on five Israeli tourists with clubs at Midigama, in Weligama Tuesday(17).
It has been reported that a when a female tourist was surfing in the Mudugamuwa area, the surf board hit a local youth injuring his hand and the youth has demanded money from the female tourist for medical treatment.
Preliminary police investigations revealed that the youth got into an argument with the Israeli nationals who had come to the aid of the female tourist and fisticuffs exchanged between the two sides.
However, another group of locals gathered at the scene has severely assaulted the Israelis, the police said.
Weligama police are conducting further investigations.
Meanwhile, local hoteliers say politicians are behind the attacks on tourists in the South to sabotage the tourism industry which is one of the main revenue contributors for Sri Lanka’s economy.
Tourism Development Minister John Amaratunga also said believes that there is a political hand involved in the escalation of violence against tourists.
