Jaffna District Member of Parliament Dr. Ramanathan Archchuna has been remanded until April 29 by the Mallakam Magistrate’s Court, hours after his arrest by Ilavalai Police on Monday morning under the Firearms Ordinance.
Acting Police Media Spokesman SP Minura Senaratne said the MP was arrested when he arrived at Ilavalai Police Station to give a statement on charges of criminal intimidation and verbal threats. The arrest stems from a Saturday (April 25) incident in the Periyavilaan area of Jaffna, where Archchuna allegedly threatened a woman with a firearm during a confrontation over a plot of land. A video circulating on social media shows the parliamentarian allegedly brandishing the weapon during the dispute.
Police said the dispute escalated when two women arrived at the property as Archchuna was clearing the land. The complaint was lodged at Ilavalai Police Station, triggering the investigation that led to Monday’s arrest. According to Newswire, one of the women involved in the confrontation was also arrested alongside the MP as investigations continue.
The Mallakam Magistrate’s Court had previously issued an order confirming the land belonged to the MP and granting permission for construction; a separate case on ownership of the plot remains pending. The arrest follows LankaNewz coverage on Saturday of the original allegation. Archchuna is the second sitting MP in 2026 to face arrest in connection with a violent incident, and the remand order is the most decisive court action against a sitting parliamentarian under the Firearms Ordinance in recent years.
Police said further investigations are underway.
