By Ruwan Weerakoon
(Lanka e News -2026.May.26, 11.30 PM) Although the Temple Trustee Dayaka Sabha has installed and operated a security camera system (CCTV) around the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Temple for the protection of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Thero, the Temple Trustee Dayaka Sabha has revealed that the Thero has consistently refused to install CCTV cameras inside or outside the private residence where Hemarathana Thero resides.
In addition, several members of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Trusteeship Council, who will not be named, have revealed during the investigation that there are serious problems with the use of funds donated by Buddhist devotees to the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Security Fund by the Atamasthanadhipathi Thero.
After the LTTE attack on the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura in 1985, a Udamaluwa police outpost and a security camera system (CCTV) were installed for the security of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Temple. However, it is said that none of the incumbent theoros who had worked at the temple since before Pallegama Hemarathana Thero became the Atamasthanadhipathi Thero had objected to the installation of security cameras inside or outside the houses where they lived, without giving any reason.
After the shooting of the Kataragama Kiri Vehera Viharaya chief incumbent on June 12, 2018, members of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Trustees Association made an urgent request to Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana Thero to install CCTV cameras to enhance security within the residential temple premises. However, the Thero has rejected the Dayaka Sabha’s request at that time as well, according to Dayaka Sabha sources.
A group of three members of the temple Dayaka Sabha met Hemarathana Thero and directly questioned him after the Thero was accused of raping a girl. They asked why the Thero flatly refuses to install CCTV cameras inside or outside the private temple where the Thero resides, despite millions of rupees being collected from devotees for security purposes.
Meanwhile, police officers conducting criminal investigations into the incident stated that they have already recorded official statements from about 15 people who witnessed the young child entering the temple grounds with his mother.
---------------------------
by (2026-05-26 19:09:31)
Read 3570 Times
Leave a Reply
0 discussion on this news