Ambalangoda Devenanda College’s principal was assaulted over a dispute concerning the badminton team.
Ambalangoda Police arrested a person who allegedly assaulted the principal of Sri Devananda Vidyalaya this morning (19) inside the principal’s office.
The Ambalangoda Police say that the suspect who assaulted the principal will be produced before the Balapitiya Magistrate tomorrow (20).
The alleged assault was over a dispute in the badminton team where a player had opted to withdraw from the team due to economic hardships.
According to police, the suspect has been identified as Wijemuni Chatura Mihiraj De Soysa (44), a resident of Pansala Road, Haegalla, Kosgoda.
The principal of the Devananda College, Janaka Peduruhewa, had reportedly complained to the Ambalangoda Police that he had been assaulted by someone who threatened him while he was attending to his official duties this morning.
The assault, according to the principal, took place between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.
Police investigations confirmed that the attack was carried out due to a problem with the school’s badminton team. It has been revealed during police investigations that the son of the suspect who attacked the principal is engaged in both badminton and cricket at the school and that the dispute has arisen following his (the son’s) decision to abandon badminton due to economic hardships.
Police sources also stated that the suspect had claimed that the teacher in charge of badminton had allegedly attacked the suspect’s son and that he was being treated at the Balapitiya base hospital.
The suspect has told police that he was compelled to attack the principal due to the principal’s inaction concerning his son’s matter, where the principal reportedly failed to take action against the staff member (teacher in charge of badminton) who allegedly assaulted his son.
Reports revealed that the suspect also threatened to attack the security personnel on duty before he entered the school premises.
Nevertheless, another teacher has pointed out that the principal has taken appropriate steps regarding the incident involving the student, although the suspect has said otherwise. A deputy principal of the school said that the principal has called all the parties to the incident separately and given them the necessary instructions.
Under the direction of the OIC of the Ambalangoda Police Chief Inspector Prasanna Algiriyage, a group of Crime Division officers, including Police Inspector PM Iran, is conducting further investigations.
