Tense situation led to the arrest of the Balangoda Kassapa Thero
A tense situation arose when a group of individuals, accompanied by Rajanganaya Saddharathana Thero, arrived at the premises of the Ruwanweli Maha Seya, where Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero and two other Buddhist monks were staging a fast-unto-death protest, which led to the arrest of Balangoda Kassapa Thero and some others.
Including Ven. Kassapa Thero and seven individuals were arrested by the Anuradhapura Police yesterday and they have been remanded in custody until the 26th of this month.
Those injured during the altercation were admitted to the Anuradhapura Hospital. The Anuradhapura Magistrate issued these orders after examining the suspects who had been hospitalized. The Magistrate also directed that all of them be referred for a psychiatric evaluation.
The incident began after some Buddhist monks at the Upawasaya site repeatedly called the Rajangane Saddharathana Thero to start a fight, using hand signals and shouting “waran, waran” (Come, come) and asking him, “Where is your gang?”
An altercation broke out between monks at the side of Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero and Rajangane Saddharathana Thero, as well as the people gathered at the protest site, with a group of laypeople accompanying Rajangane Saddharathana Thero.
Video footage shows that during the confrontation, Rajangane Saddharathana Thero sustained a head injury after allegedly being struck with clubs by a Buddhist monk from the Kassapa Thero at the protest site, following a violent altercation between the two groups.
Video footage of the incident also shows the Kassapa Thero and another monk holding wooden poles and calling someone to fight with them. Several individuals were wielding clubs and carrying out attacks as the situation continued to escalate.
