Five hospitalized after Port clashes- two media personnel also attacked

Five hospitalized after Port clashes-  two media personnel also attacked

The protest that was started by the Magampura port employees requesting to absorb all of them to the port authority and not to hand over the Magampura port to a Chinese company. To disperse the protesting workers the Navy personnel had attacked them.There had been clashes during this exercise causing injuries to

five port workers.

Two media personnel who went to report on this incident also had received injuries.

As a result of the strike action of the 482 port workers the to ships that were anchored at the harbour that had arrived from Singapore and China could not be sent back.But yesterday at around 10 am one ship containing vehicles had been cleared with the help of about 500 Navy personnel .The Navy personnel had moved towards the eastern side of the port close to the oil terminal.At the time the protesters had been near the main gate and the jetty.

The media spokesman of the port's union IH Umesh had said that the Navy officers had shot at the protesters who were near the main gate.Umesh had said that those near the jetty had been struck with poles and with weapons to disperse them. The Navy officers had traveled in drone vessels when dispersing the workers if has been told.

Five of the injured had been admitted to the Hambantota hospital for treatment.