Students of Asoka Vidyalaya, which is situated next to Arjuna’s ancestral home, were practising for the sports meet which was due to be held today. Pubudu Kumarasinghe, a 12th year student described the scene. "The ball accidentally went to Arjuna’s garden while junior cadets were training for the meet. They then requested Arjuna’s mother a couple of times to give them the ball back. By that time, Arjuna’s brother, Prasanna Ranatunge, a Western Provincial Councillor and a member of Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) also arrived the scene on 54-4431 FARGO van and he requested the cadets to come in and take the ball. Mrs. Ranatunga, hailed as a heroine by Sri Lankan media for giving bitrth to Arjuna, started shouting at them and a servant attacked a schoolboy with a machete while Prasanna’s bodyguards followed him !!!"

By that time Arjuna also has been in the seen, the student told BBC’s Sandeshaya. Prasanna’s bodyguards have come into the cadet room of Asoka Vidyalaya and again attacked the students. According to the students the security guards have fired at students, too. When a woman teacher tried to avoid the attack, Arjuna, once known as Captain Cool, shouted at her until she wept, Pubudu Kumarasinghe said.

Asoka Vidyalaya has postponed the sports meeting as students tried to burn the Cricket "Mahagedara". The Lanka Academic learns that Ananda College of Colombo, Arjuna’s ex-school is also planning a huge protest. Published: Sat Mar 3 08:15:23 EST 2001