MONK'S FUNERAL HELD IN TURBULENT SITUATION

Chaos in cremation committee of Indarathana Thero

    Bowatte Indarathana Thero who sacrificed his life as a protest against cattle slaughter was created last evening. A chaos which took place within the committee handling the cremation procedure was so reported.

   It was reported that the public who had assembled had hooted at Minister John Amaratunga representing Ratnapura on the occasion. He had begun to deliver a speech when the hooting started and though the Minister had continued with the addressing amidst this hooting, it was not possible and public protest had increased. Though the police had intervened and tried to calm down the situation, those yelling had aimed water-bottles at the police. It was reported that subsequently with the intervention of the leader of Jathika Hela Urumaya, Dr.Omalpe Sobhitha Thero, the situation was temporarily brought to a close.

   The Minister had then hurriedly finished his speech and when the speech was over, there had been a conflict among a crowd of political supporters, monks who were present on the occasion and those who created the protest based on the above incident. As such, it is reported from Ratnapura that the cremation proceedings had taken a chaotic outlook.