A petrol station owner and an employee have been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a journalist working for a media network covering the situation near a fuel filling station in Dalupotha Negombo on March 1 at 8 pm.
Subsequent to the persons arrested being produced in court on March 2, Negombo Chief Magistrate T.N.L.Mahawatte ordered that they be released on surety bail of Rs 100,000 each.The suspects agreed to pay Rs.10,000 in court as a sympathetic allowance to the journalist who was assaulted.
The victim was identified as M.Z.Sajahan, a journalist working for Sirasa, Shakthi and Virakesari. The suspects had attacked the journalist’s chest and face and snatched his media identity card and mobile phone.The journalist was admitted to the Negombo Hospital with injuries sustained after being assaulted.