October 18, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka Police have disputed allegations that officers assaulted Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero during a demonstration at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo on Saturday (17), maintaining that the monk fell after losing his footing during a confrontation with police.
The clarification followed the circulation of a video on social media which purportedly showed the monk being assaulted while Buddhist religious chanting was taking place. In a subsequent statement, police rejected the allegations and presented a different account of the incident based on a report from Cinnamon Gardens Police.
According to the police version, officers intervened when a group of demonstrators attempted to set up a temporary shelter using tent material and install a loudspeaker near the Buddha statue inside the park. The officers reportedly informed those present that the proposed arrangements were not permitted under the applicable regulations.
Police alleged that tensions escalated when Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero and several other protesters advanced towards officers and pushed against them. During the ensuing confrontation, the monk is said to have slipped on a concrete step and fallen to the ground.
He was subsequently taken to the National Hospital of Sri Lanka for medical attention, only to be reported later that the thera had been discharged from hospital on the day itself.
Police have firmly denied that officers physically assaulted the monk, insisting that the circumstances surrounding his fall differed from the claims circulating online. They have also cautioned the public against sharing unverified footage or misleading accounts, warning that legal action could be taken against those responsible for disseminating false information capable of provoking public disorder.
Further inquiries into the incident are being conducted by Cinnamon Gardens Police to establish the circumstances surrounding the confrontation.
The demonstration had been organised to call for the release of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, who remains imprisoned, through the proper legal channels.
The incident has once again highlighted the speed at which conflicting accounts of public confrontations can spread across social media, with police urging the public to verify information before sharing it. The full circumstances of the incident remain subject to further investigation.
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