The Matara Magistrate’s Court has ordered a man who climbed a high-voltage transmission tower to protest over a family dispute to compensate the loss caused to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).

The incident occurred on July 21 in the Kamburupitiya area, where the individual climbed a tower belonging to the high-voltage electricity transmission system as a form of protest.

As a result, electricity supply to several areas including Thihagoda, Kamburupitiya, Akuressa, Mulatiyana, Deiyandara, Mawarala and Deniyaya was disrupted for more than two hours.

Police later brought the man’s family members to the location, following which he climbed down from the tower.

He was immediately arrested and produced before the Matara Magistrate’s Court, where he was remanded until July 24, 2026.

When the case was taken up on July 24, the Matara Chief Magistrate ordered the Kamburupitiya Police to calculate the financial loss caused to the CEB due to the incident and submit a report to court.

When the case was recalled on July 28, police informed the court that the CEB had suffered a loss of Rs. 201,059.90 due to the electricity interruption lasting more than two hours.

During the proceedings, the suspect pleaded guilty, following which the Matara Magistrate’s Court ordered him to compensate the CEB for the loss incurred.

The case has been postponed until November 3, 2026, for further proceedings.