It is reported that Kalpa Gunaratne, the journalist of the ”mee messo” YouTube channel, was arbitrarily arrested by the police at the Colombo International Book Fair yesterday afternoon.
There was an argument between a security guard and a young man who was guarding the exhibition hall of the “Sarasawi” bookstore in the book exhibition area. At that time, the security guard assaulted this young man. Journalist Kalpa Gunaratne protested at that time. Then he videotaped the incident.
In the meantime, the police officers in charge of the Bandaranaike conference hall premises arrested him and took him to the Kurunduwatta police saying that he did not have a valid media ID card.
A complaint has been filed against him at the Kurunduwatta Police that he acted in a way that violated public order at the BMICH premises. Then the lawyers of the Media Law Forum came and arranged to get the police bail.