Sri Lanka police launch an investigation into the Katunayake FTZ incident

Sri Lanka police have launched an extensive investigation into Monday's violent protest by the employees of Katunayake Free Trade Zone protesting the government proposed pension scheme.

Addressing a media briefing Monday evening Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasuriya has said that a thorough investigation has been launched into the protest and the reported shooting following the attack on the police by the FTZ workers.


According to the police around 500 people out of about 5,000 protesters have forcibly entered the Katunayake police station premises and attacked the police personnel and the properties at the station.

The attack had injured 15 police officers including DIG Ravi Wijayagunawardena, two ASPs and an OIC. The police say that they had no choice but to use force to remove the attackers. The ensuing clash has injured 8 protesters, four of them while trying to enter the police premises forcibly, the state-run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation said.

The IGP has promised to take appropriate action against the policemen if the investigation launched by the CID proves any police officers are at fault.