Organisation for the Protection of Antiquities’ Chairperson Ven. Udasgiriye Samitha Thera has requested the IGP and the CID Director to reopen investigations into five unresolved complaints related to the theft and destruction of archaeological artefacts in recent years and to take legal action against those responsible.
The cases highlighted include the theft of a Relic Casket from Kotavehera, Deliwala, around February 13, 2022; the disappearance of the moonstone from the premises of Kundasale Palace around December 23, 2022; an attempt to drill and detonate the Watadage site in Polonnaruwa on August 25, 2023; the bulldosing of Pabbatharamaya in Nuwaragam Palatha, Anuradhapura, in October 2023; and the destruction of the Helmilla Kulama archaeological reserve in the Central Nuwaragam Palatha.
According to Ven. Samitha Thera, a reward of Rs. 2.5 million was previously announced by the IGP for information leading to the recovery of the Relic Casket stolen from Kotavehera. Despite ample evidence in the moonstone disappearance case, no proper investigation has been conducted, as mentioned in the letter sent to the Criminal Investigation Department.
Complaints regarding the drilling attempt at Watadage were lodged with the Kaduruwela Police, the District Crime Unit and the Polonnaruwa Superintendent of Police, but no action has been taken. Although the names of those responsible for the bulldosing of Pabbatharamaya and the destruction of the Helmilla Kulama reserve were provided to the Ellepaththuwa Police, no steps have been taken to address these incidents, according to the letter.
Ven. Samitha Thera has urged authorities to expedite investigations into these cases to ensure justice and protect the nation’s archaeological heritage.
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