State Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Prasanna Ranaweera has reportedly assaulted a Porter at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake.

Meanwhile, the State Minister has also threatened several security officers at the airport, according to sources.

Accompanied by his ministerial security personnel, Ranaweera had visited the airport with his wife in the early hours of Tuesday (May 14) since she was scheduled to travel overseas.

The state minister had attempted to enter the airport through its main entrance along with his ministerial security officers who were carrying firearms, sources said.

At that moment, the airport security officers have informed the state minister that they could not allow the ministerial security officers to enter the airport while carrying the firearms.

The state minister had then allegedly proceeded to verbally abuse the airport security officers.

Airport sources said State Minister Prasanna Ranaweera had later also assaulted the porter who was pushing the trolley carrying the luggage of the state minister’s wife.

The state minister had reportedly left the airport premises after slapping the porter in the face. The airport employee in question, a resident of Kurunegala, had then visited the airport police station to lodge a complaint regarding the incident.

However, due to the absence of the officer-in-charge (OIC) at that time, the police officers present had informed the porter to return the next morning.

The State Minister Prasanna Ranaweera stated,”I got angry at that time. I called him and pulled him to the side. I slapped him, that’s true.”