Four Buddhist monks, including Venerable Balangoda Kassapa Thera, along with five other individuals, were further remanded until January 28 by the Trincomalee Magistrate’s Court in connection with the controversial Buddha statue incident at the Trincomalee Bodhiraja Temple.
The suspects were produced before court over allegations that a Buddha statue was erected within a designated coastal zone without obtaining the necessary approvals, in violation of coastal conservation regulations.
The case relates to events on November 16 last year, when tensions escalated after authorities attempted to remove the statue. The Coast Conservation Department subsequently filed a complaint with the police, citing the lack of required authorization for the construction.
