A group of JVP members who were wanted by the Chilaw police in connection with the assault on the driver of the JVP parliamentarian Samansiri Herath and the robbery of his van had fled the area, Chilaw police said.

Chief Inspector Thusitha Kumarasinghe said they should surrender to the police.

Meanwhile, pressure had been brought on Samansiri Herath to withdraw the compliant about the robbery of his vehicle and the assault on the driver. The persons wanted by the police had been frequent visitors to the home of Herath and a special police team had been deployed to arrest them, police said.