3 June 2020 12:04 am
By Saman Wijebandara
An organised group of gangsters who entered the historic Sevanagala Rajamaha Vihara during the curfew on Sunday had threatened and intimidated Chief Incumbent Ven. Medirigiriye Punnasara Thera and the members of the Dayaka Sabha.
Ven. Thera said the gang entered the temple ground with the police and obstructed the members of the Dayaka Sabha who were cleaning the temple grounds and that it was for the second time they entered the temple ground and behaved in that manner.
“They claimed that the temple ground where the shrine rooms were located belonged to them and obstructed the members of the Dayaka Sabha refurbishing the shrine rooms. Land and paddy fields belonging to the temple have been illegally occupied by the Muslims. I revealed this to the media recently. It is sad that the police failed to enforce the law. The government has already taken step to protect the historic Sevenagala sacred areas.” Ven. Thera said.
Ven. Punnasara Thera further said the novice monks in the temple were being threatened with death.