Monk defends suspect accused of assaulting police officer

COLOMBO (News1st): A Buddhist monk has stepped up in defence of a suspect remanded for the attempted assault of a police officer in the northwestern region, denying that such an incident had occurred. "There was no assault on any police officers, that I can assure" said Rev. Vadugedara Sarananda Thero, from the Vishudhdharama Buddhist Centre in Wariyapola. This week, the police said it had arrested a person who had attempted to assault an inspector at the Wariyapola police station while accompanying a suspect involved in an illicit liquor racket. Amateur footage claiming to have been of the altercation had been circulating on social media. "The mother of the boy whom they say is producing moonshine works at the home of one of our donors. She told me that her son has not been doing this in more than three years," Ven. Sarananda Thero noted. He accused the police officer believed to have been involved in the incident, of asking for money from the suspect, adding that the boy had arrived at the police station to inquire into this matter. "When this boy's brother had asked the officer as why he is treating his brother in this manner, then the officer had threatened to say let's take care of it inside the station," the monk added. He said that by the time he reached the police station, the brother of the boy was being assaulted in the police station. The suspect arrested over the assault has been remanded until 29.