THREE STUDENTS ARRESTED FOR WRITING ON THE LION'S PAW OF SIGIRIYA

A group of students who had written some words in Tamil and had totally disfigured the appearance of the Lion's Paw section of Sigiriya. This incident was reported on the 15th. It is reported that this group of students had been accompanied by teachers as well. According to reports, there had been 2 male students and 1 female student involved in this incident. They are supposed to have scribbled various names with the use of pieces of granite and bricks. It is also reported that they had resorted to this act with much freedom as there had been any security-guard present. Further, the teachers who were there with these students had not being willing to admit that this act was something wrong.

  Later on some onlookers who had come there had protested against this offence. However, it is reported that these students had carried on with their activities and on noticing a person trying to photograph the act, a teacher in the group had expressed his displeasure. At a later stage, on complaints made, the suspected 2 male students and the female student had been taken into custody by the security forces.

  The Director of Archaeology has said that an  inquiry would be held over this incident. According to an official of the Ministry of Central Cultural Affairs who had inspected the site concerned has remarked that this damage could be brought back to the former state but the damage done to its natural appearance would however be lost.

  The first occasion when the first markings on Lion's Paw of Sigiriya was revealed was in1896 by Mr.Bell, a Britisher who was then the Commissioner of Archaeology. It is purported that there had been factors to prove that a face of the lion had existed at the place, according to historians, which had later on collapsed. It was also reported of an incident where a lightning had struck at the site of the Lion's Paw. A further incident was reported in 1967 where a person had applied tar on the figures of the Sigiriya damsels.

  Sigiriya has been named a site which has attracted first place as the tourist attraction of Sri Lanka as well as of World Heritage.