Story of how O/L students of Hantana, Kandy were intimidated -- Update

Story of how O/L students of Hantana, Kandy were intimidated -- Update

A group of students at an O/L revision academy at the Human Leadership Training Institute situated in Hantana area, Kandy sometime back were allegedly subjected to abuse and in relation to this incident the supposed owner of this establishment Chandimal Gamage and his business friend Nimal Peiris have been remanded by now.

Chandimal who has earned a name all over the country as an Advisor of Positive Thinking has been associating distinguished individuals in the country and has thus developed a credible image in public which anybody could pin faith on and has committed these crimes on the sly and by now his pranks are being revealed. A reputed business friend who is supposed to be a friend of his is connected to these activities for which evidence is forthcoming.

According to statements of the students, these children have been subjected to various sexual molestation on a number of occasions. Chandimal and Nimal have taken two students last Poya Day to a certain lodging house on the understanding of watching a Sokari Drama in their company. One of the statements so far recorded is that in this lodging place that day the two students have been embraced and in addition had been subjected to some sexual abuse. The students concerned were accompanied by teams of police officers of Kandy Police to the said lodging place and the latter have been able to identify the location. Apart from this an incident where Chandimal has taken two students to his friend Nimal Peiris's office at Katukelle in Kandy and had embraced them, was reported. On the occasion when another student had fallen sick, Chandimal who escorted her to a dispensary in the company of her friends had taken them to a shop and had tried to buy them underwear and had also put his arm round one student and thus tried to induce her for some misdeed, it was reporded.

The students were permitted to confront their parents only once a month and the girls were restricted to an environment where the telephone and going out was taboo. Under these circumstances they have had to bear up such restrictions. Since the situation was such, feelings of terror that they would become a prey had enveloped them. With these circumstances in the background they had been intelligent enough to flee from the place before they became a prey to Chandimal and his party who had been engaged in a boozing session last 31st.

Though this person Chandimal was about 36 years old, he had given the impression to the students that he was a young man of 25 years. Conducting a Positive Training Academy workshop he had won prestige in the area and had secured a fee of Rs. 140000 from the parents on the understanding that he would be strengthening those who was unsuccessful at the O/L. For this purpose he had maintained a hostel providing food and lodging for 6 months and it was limited for only female students. It is said that there were 18 students there. All students who studied at this hostel education institute known by the name of Human Leadership Academy was conducted at the address of No. 19, Thapodarama Road, Hantana situated in proximity to Kandy. They had come to know of the academy towards the end of last April and beginning of the month of May having seen advertisements in newspapers. What was done at the academy was a process of personality development of students who had failed at the GCE O/L examination and to conduct revision classes to equip them to face the GCE O/L Examination.

The students who were permitted to meet their parents once a month only had to do so in the presence of the hostel warden. Because of this reason even though the students were subjected to some improper consequences during the month which had passed by, they did not have the nerve to expose it to the parents so soon as such.

The hostel of the students was situated on the ground floor of a three-storied building. It is learned that the land in which this building stood was somewhat big in extent. There had been a large wall around it. As such no student was able to go outside the premises without the sanction of the warden. It was said that there were 2 wardens engaged in administrative activities of the hostel. On the day the last incident took place, which was on the 31st, there had been only 1 warden.

On this day in question Chandimal with his millionaire friend and some other colleagues had launched a boozing session at the hostel premises starting around 10 in the night. When the party was dragging on until midnight the participants had even forgotten as to where they were and had begun to jabber away. On that instance the students who were then in their sleep had overheard what they were speaking and had heard talks revolving around the topic of preparing to seduce these girls as well.

This is what one student said about it: "We know about Chandimal Sir. Because of that we were enveloped with great fear that day. After that, several girls who were among our friends started talking about Sir taking them to hotels. They said that their clothes were removed .... that such and such a thing was done. Some of those who were among our friends too began to say stories like that. When listening to these stories all of us felt that we were going to fall into a big trouble. We then discussed of doing something. After that in order to show that we were not isolated we switched on the lights of the hostel and began to laugh aloud ... to sing and shout. Some of our friends went to the kitchen of the hostel and took chillie powder into their hands. Some others took compasses in compass boxes while some others got hold of broomsticks as well as clubs into their hands. What we had agreed to do was that if anybody was to enter our hostel we would do whatever possible and escape thereafter. We had no faith in the madam (warden). Because of that we didn't look for her. Just then several of our friends quipped that the sirs may have heard our big noise and had gone away. We again got scared that something might be done after we go to sleep. By that time all of us were panicked. Then some of our friends suggested that we somehow make an escape outside and go to a nearby house and seek assistance. For that purpose four of our gutty friends came forward. The four of them managed to scoot out two by two".

They had approached a nearby house in this dead of night and asked for help. They were offered the neighbour's mobile phone to enable the girls to speak to the police and their homes at 3.30 in the morning and it was a certain neighbour who kept his attention focused until such time as parents of all the children came near the hostel. By about 5.30 early in the morning parents of all students at the hostel had come there. But the gates of the hostel were not open for them to go inside. Because of this the parents of the hostel had been banging on the gates of the hostel demanding that the gates be opened. However the warden of the hostel had declined to open the gates. The police had mediated at about 7 in the morning and had got the gates opened.

Officers of the Children and Women's Bureau of the Kandy Police had secured statements from the students on which occasion it was revealed that Chandimal and Nimal had utilised various strategies on these children and had from time to time escorted the children to hotels and lodgings and committed sexual molestation. 6 students of the 9 students who gave their statements that they were subjected to sexual harassment were produced before the Kandy Judicial Medical Officer while the other 3 refused the medical examination. The report submitted to courts by the medical examination suggested that apart from the students being subjected to external sexual molestation, there was no indication that they showed signs of rape as such.

The main suspect Chandimal Gamage after being produced before Kandy Courts was remanded last 4th until the 11th while his business colleague Nimal Peiris had forwarded a bail application last 2nd to Kandy Courts.

Initial report of GossipLanka regarding incident, from here

Video of the Positive Thinking Workshop held by Chandimal Gamage, from below