Sri Lankan court remands extremist Buddhist monk to custody

A Sri Lankan court today remanded the chief of a Buddhist extremist organisation to custody until February 9 for threatening people, public officials and misbehaving in an open court.

Written by: Press Trust of India

Published: January 26, 2016, 9:14 PM IST

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https://www.india.com/news/world/sri-lankan-court-remands-extremist-buddhist-monk-to-custody-894423/ Copy

Colombo, Jan 26: A Sri Lankan court today remanded the chief of a Buddhist extremist organisation to custody until February 9 for threatening people, public officials and misbehaving in an open court. Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) chief Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera surrendered to the Homagama police this morning after an arrest warrant was issued against him by the court yesterday.(Also Read: Sri Lankan courts release Tamil Nadu fishermen)

The BBS has been blamed for creating communal disharmony targeting the minority Muslim community. The group had led an anti-Muslim campaign since 2012. The Homagama magistrate’s court ordered his remand custody until February 9 for threatening an individual and public officials and misbehaving in the open court.

The monk had threatened the wife of missing journalist Pradeep Eknaligoda during the court proceedings yesterday. He had made an inflammatory address to the magistrate also. The BBS campaign was also seen as a reason for the defeat of President Mahinda Rajapaksa as minorities favoured his rival Maithripala Sirisena in the presidential election last year.