“Wait Calmly for Justice": Colombo Archbishop Requests Peace Following Assault on Priest
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, has urged the Catholic community to remain calm and refrain from reacting to provocations following the alleged assault of a Catholic priest by police officers in Gampaha.
The incident occurred onJan 24 around 7:00 PM in the Asgiriya-Kirindiwita area, roughly 25–30 km north of Colombo. Fr. Milan Priyadarshana, a priest of the archdiocese of Colombo, was traveling by motorcycle to conduct a mass when he was reportedly intercepted and assaulted by some police men.
Contradicting Accounts
The National Director of Mass Communications, Fr. Jude Krishantha, addressed the media after visiting the victim at the Negombo General Hospital in Negombo city, alongside Auxiliary Bishop Maxwell Silva. He provided a detailed account that contradicts initial police claims.
According to the police, the priest was signaled to stop but ignored the command, leading officers to pursue and question him. However, Fr. Jude Krishantha stated: "The priest was traveling when six police officers on three motorcycles approached from the opposite direction, shouting profanities and ordering him to stop. He stopped immediately, explaining he had not heard an initial command. Despite being dressed in his clerical robes and removing his helmet to identify himself, the officers assaulted him using their helmets and kicked him several times. The marks of the assault are visible on his robes."
Fr. Krishantha further noted that the officers initially accused the priest of hitting someone with his bike. When he denied it, they attempted to issue a fine for reckless driving, but ultimately released him as no offense had been committed.
Legal Action and Arrests
While the Catholic Church clarified that they do not blame the entire Police Department, they insisted on legal accountability for the specific officers involved.
Recent Developments:
Six police officers from the Gampaha Police station have since been arrested and produced before the Gampaha Acting Magistrate, Amarani Mudalige. They have been remanded until the 29th. Fr. Milan Priyadarshana was transferred from Negombo Hospital to the National Hospital in Colombo on the 25th for further treatment. The Police Media Spokesperson stated on January 26th that an investigation is ongoing and emphasized that the law applies equally to police officers. However, he notably avoided confirming whether an assault took place.
Call for Human Rights
The incident has sparked a wave of condemnation from various Christian organizations. They emphasized that even if a traffic violation or a failure to stop had occurred, the police have no legal right to physically assault any citizen, let alone a member of the clergy whose identity was clearly established.
On 27 Jan, priests and nuns of the Negombo Deanery held a silent protest to voice their grievances. Fr. Cyril Gamini, spokesperson for the Archdiocese, told the Daily Mirror that the Church intends to file a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition in court regarding the incident.
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, currently on a visit to the Vatican, continues to monitor the situation and has reiterated his call for the faithful to trust the legal process rather than falling prey to social media misinformation.
