Sri Lanka Police have rejected claims that a man was attacked for supporting a protest march from Kandy to Colombo demanding the release of imprisoned Buddhist monk Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera.
In a statement, police said the incident occurred on Oct. 14 in the Weeragula police area and was the result of a traffic-related dispute rather than an attack connected to the protest march.
The clarification follows a video circulating on social media in which Ven. Thiththagalle Anandasiri Thera claimed that a man who had assisted the march was assaulted by a group of individuals using a helmet.
However, police said preliminary investigations revealed that the injured man was not associated with the protest march and had been travelling in a lorry for personal reasons when the incident occurred.
According to a statement obtained from the injured man, an argument broke out between him and a motorcyclist during traffic congestion near the Veediyawatta Devalaya. The disagreement subsequently escalated into a physical confrontation involving a helmet.
The injured man was admitted to Wathupitiwala Hospital for treatment, while the motorcyclist involved in the dispute was also admitted to Gampaha Hospital.
Police said their investigations indicated that Ven. Anandasiri Thera had recorded a video showing the injured man’s wounds while presenting him as a supporter of the protest march who had been attacked.
However, police maintained that the incident was unrelated to the march and accused the monk of spreading false information through social media.
Weeragula Police are expected to report the matter to court.
Police also warned that legal action would be considered against individuals spreading false or unverified information that could create public unrest.
The public has been urged to exercise caution when sharing videos and claims circulating on social media.
Further investigations are underway. (Newswire)
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