The Police have ruled out terrorist or extremist activity in connection to the destruction of the glass shield of a Buddha statue in Mawanella recently.
Police Spokesman Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Ajith Rohana said investigations have revealed that a 30-year-old man addicted to narcotics had destroyed the glass shield.
He said the man has been arrested on charges of destroying the glass shield of the Buddha statue in the Hingula area in Mawanella, along the Colombo- Kandy Road on 28 December, 2020.
The suspect from Hettipola, Kegalle is reported to have carried out the attack while returning home after receiving treatment at the Peradeniya Hospital.
Investigations have revealed that the man was convicted for a crime on a previous occasion as well.
The suspect is a 30-year-old resident of Kegalle identified as Priyantha Sampath Kumara.
DIG Ajith Rohana said that the suspect had stolen money from places of worship in the past.
DIG Ajith Rohana said the Kegalle Crimes Division is conducting further investigations into the incident, by monitoring CCTV footage and collecting further evidence. (NewsWire)