BBC reporter injured in Sri Lanka poll violence

A BBC reporter has been injured in poll violence in Sri Lanka after being caught in a clash between two political groups, even as Sri Lankan government on Thursday promised to apprehend those responsible for the attack.

A BBC reporter has been injured in poll violence in Sri Lanka after being caught in a clash between two political groups, even as Sri Lankan government on Thursday promised to apprehend those responsible for the attack.

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Thakshila Dilrukshi Jayasena, who works for the BBC Sinhala Service, sustained minor injuries in the incident that took place in Polonnaruwa yesterday.

Her recording equipment was also stolen, the BBC said. Adding the correspondent was hospitalised following the attack. Sri Lankan Presidential secretariat said it condemned the incident and efforts were on to nab the attackers.

"The Government vehemently condemns the violent incidents at Polonnaruwa yesterday (January 13, 2010) including the reported attack on a local BBC correspondent," the official statement said.

"It (the government) will not tolerate any acts of violence against civilians, politicians, local and international observers and journalists in the current situation. Action has already been taken to apprehend those responsible for this violence and the attack on the journalist, and make them face the full force of the law."

The Government will not allow anything to undermine this historic election in Sri Lanka as it were the first since the end of a quarter of a century of "organised terrorism in Sri Lanka – under which free and fair elections were regularly obstructed – and the people in all areas of the country now have the freedom to participate in the electoral process."