The leader of the United National Freedom Front, Maithri Gunaratne was arrested by the Kadugannawa Police last evening while he was taking part in a protest march, organised to compel Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe to step down from the leadership of the UNP.
He was later released on bail by the Kandy Magistrate.
The Police took into custody 98 cinnamon poles and two shotguns found inside two luxury vehicles before Gunaratne was arrested last afternoon.
The protest march which was to reach Colombo eventually, started from Getambe yesterday morning and around 80 supporters of the UNFF had taken part.
The Police had found the cinnamon poles, each about 4 feet long, when they searched a parked Prado jeep in Iriyagama.
The police said that the vehicle was registered under Gunaratne’s spouse name. The driver of the jeep was also arrested by the police when he could not explain the purpose for which the poles were being transported.
It has been claimed that the poles were meant for ‘protest flags’. But the police said the poles were too heavy to be used for such purposes. The two shotguns and ten live bullets were found in another jeep which was used by the protestors. The police are investigating to see whether there was a plot to ambush and assault the protestors and put the blame on the Prime Minister.
The UNFF leader was released by the Magistrate when he produced the licence for the two guns, the investigating officers said. Investigations into the incident were conducted by a team led by Peradeniya Police HQI CI Mahinda Caldera.