Wimal Weerawansa in hiding, Vehicles of three rebels robbed

JVP parliamentary group leader and Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa has gone into hiding following death threats to him and the ten JVP MPs who backed him after the party split early this week. Weerawansa had left his residence yesterday on the advise of his supporters and gone into hiding following his differences with the party leadership, political sources said.
Meanwhile, the vehicles belonging to three JVP parliamentarians, who are backing Weerawansa, had been forcibly taken away by unidentified groups. A senior police officer said the vehicles of Piyasiri Wijenayake and Achala Jagoda had been robbed on Wednesday from the Parliament garage and the vehicle of Samansiri Herath was taken away by a group of persons who had gone to his home at Arachchikattuwa, Chilaw the same night.

The group which had robbed the vehicles from the parliament members garage had also attacked a policeman there. He was admitted to hospital.

The Chilaw police said Samansiri Herath had made a complaint that a group of persons had come to see him on Wednesday at his home at Arachchikattuwa. They were engaged in a cordial conversation but suddenly started arguing with him. They had then assaulted his driver and taken his vehicle.

There was yet another report that a fourth vehicle, the one belonging to Matale District JVP member Sujatha Alahakone was robbed. But it was found that the vehicle was taken from her residence to another place by her driver.

Police said all the three vehicles had been robbed by JVP members. Parliament Police and Chilaw Police have commenced investigations.