Wariyapola Facebook video incident -- Updates 4

Thilini Imalka working in a Ratmalana factory .... in custody!

Thilini Imalka who was connected to the incident of assaulting a youth at Wariapola bus-stand was taken into custody by Wariyapola Police this afternoon.

It was after receiving a medical report that the said youth who was admitted to hospital suffering from some damage to his ear after which she was asked to give a statement by going to Wariyapola Police today (27).

She had been employed at a factory in Ratmalana area and after she had gone home to Wariyapola in the weekend and was returning to Ratmalana in the company of a friend at Wariyapola bus-stand she was subjected to annoyance on by a youth near the women's toilet on which occasion in response she had reprimanded him and had beat him.

Though this assault was of a minor nature, the incident which had been videoed and released across the internet created public perturbation which resulted as a consequence of the incidence.The family life of the youth was disrupted while the youth and the girl had to face social discrimination in the process.

After the youth was hospitalized it came to be known that he was suffering from ear injury, and the police took action as they had received sufficient evidence in this respect.

The girl was notified by Mount Lavinia Police to come to Wariyapola Police to face an inquiry into the youth's complaint because she had been lodging close to the Ratmalana factory. After she was notified about this by Mount Lavinia Police, she had been to Wariapola Police on which occasion a statement had been recorded from her and she was taken under police custody, informing her that the incident would be directed to judicial authorities.

In the meantime, the youth known as Selva had been admitted to Wariyapola Hospital saying that he was suffering from an ailment in his left ear and was subsequently transferred to Kurunegala Teaching Hospital,it was learned.

It is understood that on behalf of the girl's Rights some NGOs too have come forward. She had forwarded a separate statement to the conciliation chambers about the incident which took place at the bus-stand.

The idea conveyed by the girl to the media initially in this connection was: "What happened there .... those who were there know. I had a look at the net yesterday .... it was shown there in a very dirty way. A lot of boys are angry about that scene of what happened.They don't know of what really happened. A lot of boys are angry with me. But saying so,nobody has gone to the extent of even laying a hand on me ... because the law is tight. I was told to go to police. I came away thinking of that boy. I was on my way to Colombo. Everyone looking at that video will see what sort of a boy that is. He had taken some intoxicants so much that he was so intoxicated that he couldn't stand straight. I can do something like that .... for my safety".

While the girl is under police custody at present, legal action would be instituted in the future.