Clashes Erupt at Ruwanweli Maha Seya Amidst Protests Against Development Plan

Tempers flared at the historic Ruwanweli Maha Seya site in Anuradhapura today, as protesters clashed with police during a demonstration against a controversial development project. Tensions heightened around noon when a group arrived at the site where a faction of Buddhist monks has been engaged in a hunger strike, demanding the immediate repeal of a government gazette related to the development plan.

For several days, a coalition of monks, including Venerable Balangoda Kashyapa, has maintained a steadfast presence near the sacred site, participating in a sit-in protest and a deadly hunger strike in opposition to the proposed project and its accompanying gazette announcement.

The arrival of the opposing group led to a heated confrontation between the two sides, necessitating the prompt intervention of police and security forces to restore order. Several individuals have since been taken into custody as tensions continue to escalate.