The National Freedom Front (NFF), a constituent party of the ruling UPFA, today condemned the arrest of several Allied Health students engaged in a peaceful protest opposite the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the alleged police attacks on them.
The Leader of the NFF, Minister Wimal Weerawansa, in a statement issued today stated that the right to engage in a peaceful protest has been violated.
A group of Allied Health students as well as their parents launched the protest opposite the UGC on Friday (May 16) morning, over decision to reduce the duration of the allied health sciences degree.
A total of 17 university students were arrested by police during the protest while four of them were admitted to the Colombo National Hospital for treatment.
Student unions allege that the students were brutally assaulted by the police and were hospitalised for treatment only after 18 hours had passed.
The NFF request the President to intervene immediately and provide a solution for the AHS degree issue and also to launch a probe into the allegations of police brutality.