Will assault 'mercilessly' if you return to SL - Sajin warns Nonis

Former Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the UK - Dr. Chris Nonis is anxious about returning to Sri Lanka after MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena had threatened to assault him if he ever set foot in the country, the 'BBC Sandeshaya' reports.

Earlier, Dr. Nonis had said to BBC Sandeshaya he was assaulted by MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena during a dinner hosted at the residence of Sri Lankan Airlines director based in New York - Dilan Ariyawansa on Sep. 23.

However, speaking to 'NewsFirst', MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena has said that though they had a verbal exchange at the dinner, no assault had taken place.

However, BBC Sandeshaya cites several attendees of the function as to saying that MP Gunawardena had repeatedly said "I'm a street fighter. You are a mere High Commissioner" while assaulting Nonis.

"Don't you ever dare to set foot on Sri Lanka. I'll get you mercilessly assaulted. I'll get you mercilessly thrashed," he had further said.

No response

The BBC Sandeshaya reports that several attempts made to contact MP Gunawardena were unsuccessful and several tweets requesting his response too, is yet to be responded to.

Earlier, BBC Sandeshaya reported that ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam and a Sri Lankan embassy official in Washington had intervened and removed MP Gunawardena during the assault.

Dr. Nonis, who complained to President Rajapaksa twice about the incident on Sep. 24, handed in his resignation before returning to UK.

At that juncture, the President has urged Chris Nonis not to resign but to be patient.

However, 10 days later (on Oct. 04), the government had informed that the resignation of Nonis was accepted.

On the same day, the government information department stated that the President has ordered a probe into a complaint lodged by Foreign Secretary Kshenuka Seneviratne against Dr. Nonis and over the assault charge.

However, MP Rajiva Wijesinhe had told BBC Sandeshaya that the Foreign Secretary and MP Gunawardena should have been suspended until the probe was concluded.

BBC Sandeshaya further reports that attempts made during several days to contact Deputy minister of External Affairs - Neomal Perera, to inquire the progress of the probe, had been unsuccessful.