An unidentified person reportedly opened fire just as Sri Lanka’s common presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena left an election rally in Polonnaruwa late evening on Saturday. Mr. Sirisena escaped without injuries, but one man in the vicinity was injured in the gunshots, according to his media unit.
When contacted, police spokesperson Ajit Rohana said there was no confirmation of the incident at that point. Speaking to The Hindu around 9.40 p.m., he said: “I spoke to the DIG of the province; he has not received information of any such incident until now.
According to sources in the United National Party (UNP) — the main opposition here which is backing Mr. Sirisena — supporters reportedly heard gunshots at the meeting venue after the candidate and supporting politicians left the venue.
UNP’s assistant leader and parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake, who was present on stage at the meeting, said: “Some people pelted our vehicles with stones as we were leaving the rally.”
Saturday’s meeting was organised in Aralaganwila, in the ancient town of Polonnaruwa, the hometown of Mr. Sirisena. Mr. Sirisena, a former Health Minister in President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Cabinet, quit the government in November and became his principal challenger in the January 8 presidential polls.
Soon after his defection, Mr. Sirisena commenced his election campaign in Polonnaruwa — located in Sri Lanka’s North Central province — where he enjoys considerable support.
With barely a few days left for Sri Lanka’s presidential elections, and with the battle between Mr. Rajapaksa and Mr. Sirisena getting closer by the day, poll-related violence has escalated across the island-nation, according to poll monitors and the police.
News agency AFP reported that the private Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) monitoring group said it had received 1,073 complaints since campaigning got under way in early December. Police said they received fewer complaints, but that 130 arrests had been made.
“We are seeing a trend of increasing violence,” AFP quoted CaFFE director Keerthi Tennakoon as saying. “The violence is well organised. It is almost always directed against the opposition’s campaign,” he said.
On Friday, Mr. Sirisena narrowly escaped stoning by suspected pro-government activists at a campaign rally, where at least 20 of his supporters were injured in the attack, according to local media reports.
Mr. Rajapaksa, currently serving his second term as President, in November called snap polls two years ahead of schedule, reportedly due to what was perceived as his waning popularity.
