The Army says a group of soldiers who were arrested over claims they attempted to abduct Kollonawa Mayor Ravindra Udeshantha last night, had not attempted to abduct him as claimed.
However Ravindra Udeshantha insisted that the soldiers had attempted to abduct him. He said that the soldiers were released last night.
Army Spokesman Brigadier Nihal Hapuarachchi said that the soldiers were involved in a verbal confrontation with some area residents and this is what had later led to the police arresting some of the soldiers.
Udeshantha said that 15 armed men had come to his house and attempted to force him into the van and abduct him.
However area residents surrounded the van and attacked it damaging the vehicle in the process.
He said that four of the abductors were nabbed by the people and handed over to the police while the rest had fled.
Udeshantha said that he had just returned home after an event when the armed gang had attempted to abduct him.
The Mayor said that his brother was also abducted and murdered early last month and there was an attempt now to kill him as well.
He said that the soldiers who were arrested were taken away by force from the police station last night by the army.
The Mayor said that he will lodge a complaint over the incident with the relevant officials in the government.
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