The Mihintale Pradeshiya Sabha chairman is alleged to have forcibly entered a welding shop, along with his son and an accomplice, threatening the owner and damaging his vehicle, police said.
Mihintale police are conducting investigations into this incident which occurred on Friday night, after the shop owner made a complaint.
Police said the welding shop owned by Ruwansiri Silva (37) is located at Katukeliyawa junction close to Mihintale town.
According to the complaint lodged by Mr. Silva, the Pradeshiya Sabha chairman W. Hemaratne had shown up outside Mr. Silva’s shop at around 7 p.m. on Friday, with a gun, along with his son and an accomplice named Jayaratne alias Siripala.
The men had allegedly threatened Mr. Silva and verbally abused him, according to the complaint.
Mr. Silva had complained that when Mr. Hemaratne’s accomplice had tried to attack him with a sword, he had run into his house. At this point the three men had allegedly attacked and damaged Mr. Silva’s vehicle parked outside his workshop.
Mr. Silva told the police the PS chairman’s son had thrown stones at his vehicle damaging it. He estimated the repair to cost around Rs. 70,000.
According to police, the houses of Mr. Silva and Mr. Hemaratne are located close to each other. Mr. Silva had complained that his house and workplace had gone under water during the heavy rains due to Mr. Hemaratne having a drain cut, for which he had allegedly used Pradeshiya Sabha employees. On Thursday, when Mr. Silva had gone to meet the PS chairman at his office to inform him of the situation, he had allegedly verbally abused him. Mr. Silva had reported the matter to the police.
Numerous phone calls made to Mr. Hemaratne went unanswered. | 
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