The Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday stated that the “regrettable” clash between university students and police would not have taken place if the protesters had peacefully allowed their representatives to reach the Prime Minister’s Office.

The protest march by Inter University Students’ Federation started off at University of sri Jayawardenapura in the outskirts of the city of Colombo. The students marched towards Temple Trees, but were blocked by police at Kollupitiya junction. In the ensuing clashes, several students and police officers were injured.

The IUSF had not given prior notice that a memorandum was to be handed over to the Prime Minister’s Office.  They had only notified that a memorandum would be handed over to the University Grants Commission, the PMO pointed out.

The police on Wednesday launched an investigation into the violent clashes which erupted between local university students and the police on Tuesday resulting in several people being injured.