Sept 02, Colombo: Sri Lanka's powerful medical sector trade union, the Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) has temporarily called off the token strike scheduled for tomorrow against the attack on a colleague until they assess the situation, a GMOA spokesman has said.

GMOA spokesman Dr. Naveen de Soysa has told the local media that the doctors of the North Central Province, who were to launch a strike on Monday against the assault on a doctor of the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, will take a decision after the association visits the Anuradhapura Hospital tomorrow to assess the situation.

Allegedly a group of supporters of former ruling party Chief Minister of North Central Province Berty Premalal Dissanayaka has assaulted Dr. Chamila Herath Thursday night when he was trying to pass through a crowd attending a political campaign.

Dr. Herath sustained injuries to the head in the attack and he is receiving treatment at the hospital now.

The doctors launched a token strike on Friday to protest the attack and to demand the authorities to arrest the culprits.

The Police arrested three persons and the court remanded them until September 11. However the doctor's union demands authorities to arrest all culprits.

The victim has reportedly said that about 20 people have attacked him.

According to the residents of the area where the attack took place, intoxicated ruling party supports had blocked the path of the doctor's vehicle and attacked him. The attackers also had badly damaged the vehicle.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Health and General Secretary of the main constituent of the ruling party has said that the party will take stern action against the ruling party candidate for the North Central Provincial Council election whose supporters attacked the doctor.