The Administrative Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Renuka Perera, has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for allegedly disseminating false information on social media regarding the Mahaviru commemorations held in the Northern Province.
According to police reports, Perera is accused of spreading misleading content that could incite unrest or tension related to the commemorations, which are observed annually to honor individuals linked to the civil conflict in Sri Lanka.
The CID initiated the arrest after receiving multiple complaints regarding the social media posts, which were deemed to be in violation of Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and other related regulations on the dissemination of false information.
Authorities have stated that an investigation is underway to determine the extent of the false information’s impact and whether others were involved in spreading similar content. The police emphasized that strict legal action will be taken against individuals found guilty of using social media to promote false or inflammatory narratives.
The SLPP has not yet released an official statement regarding Perera’s arrest. However, political analysts believe this incident could escalate tensions between the ruling party and opposition groups, particularly regarding the sensitive nature of the Mahaviru commemorations and related historical narratives in the country.
