BY Buddhika Samaraweera
A group of armed persons with their faces covered had attacked the house of popular journalist Chamuditha Samarawickrama in the Piliyandala area last (14) morning, throwing stones and faeces at the house.
Speaking to the media after the incident yesterday, Samarawickrama said that an armed group of four persons who had arrived in a car had carried out the attack at around 2 a.m., due to which several windows in the house had been damaged.
“I am living in a housing complex. There is a security guard guarding the complex. A group of four persons had come in a car and had intimidated the security guard by holding him at gunpoint. Then, one of them had stayed at the place where the security guard was, while the other three had entered the complex. They had then pelted stones at my house. They had also thrown faeces.”
Noting that the attackers were all covering their faces, Samarawickrama said that the attack had been recorded on closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
Samarawickrama had, in June 2021, informed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandana D. Wickramaratne in writing about alleged death threats made against him.
Speaking further, he said: “There have been some incidents of threatening phone calls in the past, but this is the first time an incident of this sort took place. I have exposed various corruptions and irregularities in various parts of the country. I have no idea who carried out this attack, but if anyone wanted to suppress my voice through something like this and stop my media mission, that would not happen at all.”
Meanwhile, when inquired about the ongoing investigation into the incident, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police – Western Province Deshabandu Tennakoon told The Morning that an investigation has been launched into the incident under the Superintendent of Police (SP) in charge of the Mount Lavinia Police Division.
“Investigating officers have been instructed to check CCTV footage and obtain data from telephone signal towers. They will also be recording statements from residents in the area,” he added.
Samarawickrama, in June 2021, informed IGP Wickramaratne in writing about alleged death threats made against him, and requested that an investigation be commenced by the latter. Speaking to The Morning at the time, Samarawickrama said that he would reveal the suspects behind these threats in the near future.
“I am facing an organised attack on social media and I will reveal the identities of several persons in the future. I get anonymous calls from those who support this organised attack, threatening me for what I have done as a journalist. Some people get affected personally and politically due to my questioning, but it is my duty to reveal the truth,” he elaborated.
Courtesy:The Morning