Decides to recall Kavadi groups for the Devinuwara Perahera

Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala has decided to grant another opportunity to the 45 Kavadi groups that participated in last year's Esala Perahera festival held at the historic Devinuwara Utpalawarna Sri Vishnu Maha Devalaya this year. This decision was announced after a special discussion held this afternoon with the participation of the Minister of Public Security, Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasuriya, the Matara District Secretary, and other officials.

To clarify this decision, a special press conference was convened today at the Police Media Division located in Suhurupaya, Battaramulla. Speaking at the event, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Kithsiri Jayalath, in charge of the Southern Province, stated that the Kavadi dance element has been part of the Devinuwara Perahera, which is being organized for the 769th time, for about 35-40 years.

However, the Senior Deputy Inspector General pointed out that during the presentation of this dance form in previous years, several undisciplined activities were reported, such as some performers behaving obscenely, appearing semi-naked, and engaging in dance while heavily intoxicated. Considering this situation, steps were taken last year to remove several such undisciplined groups from the procession, which led to certain controversial debates among several underworld groups being created on social media.

It was further revealed that in light of the current situation, and with the aim of ensuring the safety of both the public and those participating in the procession, the Inspector General of Police has submitted special recommendations based on reports provided by intelligence agencies, including the State Intelligence Service.