Unrest was reported at a temple in Trincomalee on November 16 last year after an attempt was made to remove the Buddha statue. The Coastal Conservation Department had lodged a complaint with the police, stating that the statue had been erected as part of an illegal construction.
When police officers moved to remove the statue following the complaint, they reportedly faced strong opposition from monks and residents in the area.
The relevant parties were subsequently summoned before the Trincomalee Magistrate’s Court in connection with the incident. After considering the submissions, the Magistrate ordered that the four monks and the five others be remanded in custody until January 19.
