Balangoda Kassapa Thero Among Nine Remanded

COLOMBO (News 1st); Nine individuals, including Venerable Balangoda Kassapa Thero and four other monks, have been remanded until January 19 in connection with the Trincomalee Buddha statue incident.

The order was issued when the case related to violations of the Coastal Conservation Act and unauthorized construction was taken up before the Trincomalee Magistrate’s Court.

The controversy began on November 16, when Venerable Balangoda Kassapa Thero and others launched a protest claiming that police attempted to remove a Buddha statue placed on land said to belong to the Sri Sambuddhatva Jayanthi Bodhiraja Viharaya along Trincomalee’s Kotuwa Road.

However, subsequent investigations revealed that a restaurant was being operated on the coastal land in question. 

Attempts by Coastal Conservation authorities to remove the unauthorized structure reportedly triggered the protest.

The case names 11 suspects in connection with violations of the Coastal Conservation Act and illegal construction. Nine appeared in court today, while arrest warrants were issued for two absentees.

Among those remanded are Venerable Balangoda Kassapa Thero, Venerable Kalyanawansathissa Thero - Chief Incumbent of the Bodhiraja Viharaya, and two other monks. 

Additionally, five laypersons, including Dulara Gunathilaka and Deepani Liyanage, the UNP organizer for Trincomalee, were also ordered to be remanded until January 19.