Lanka suspends 2 MPs after worst brawl in 12 years

A three-member panel recommended punitive action against the two Members of Parliament after which the report was submitted to the House Committee. The parliament then voted unanimously to suspend them, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said.

Palitha Thewarapperuma from Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s United National Party and Prasanna Ranaweera from an opposition faction loyal to former president Mahinda Rajapaksa are banned for a week. They were held responsible for triggering a brawl on Tuesday. 

The incident began during a speech by former army chief and Cabinet Minister for Regional Development Sarath Fonseka. The clash broke out between at least three MPs and opposition over the removal of army from the security detail of Rajapaksa.

Sandith Samarasinghe, an MP representing the government, had received blows after he was caught in the middle of an exchange of blows between two others.