The Sri Lanka Police has issued a clarification on news reports circulating claiming that Police protection for the Chief Incumbent of the Kiri Vehera Temple in Kataragama, Venerable Kobawaka Damminda Thero, has been withdrawn.

Issuing a statement, the Police said a report has been submitted by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Matara and Hambantota divisions, clarifying the news item circulating via electronic, print, and social media.

According to the report, the Kataragama sacred precinct houses the Ashta Pala Ruha Bodhiya, the Kiri Vehera Temple, and several other shrines. To ensure security in this area, 16 police officers and one Civil Security Department officer have been deployed around the clock. 

Additionally, since 2018, two of the 17 officers assigned to the temple guard post have been continuously tasked with providing 24-hour protection specifically for the Chief Incumbent of the Kiri Vehera Temple.

The Police said that, furthermore, a military detachment has been stationed within the Kataragama temple premises, and personnel from this unit also contribute to the security of the Chief Incumbent of the Kiri Vehera Temple.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Matara and Hambantota divisions has clarified that the news circulating across various media platforms claiming the withdrawal of security for Venerable Kobawaka Damminda Thero or the temple premises is false. (Newswire)

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Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has refuted recent reports linking him to a property in Kataragama, stating that the building near the Menik Ganga is not his property.

Issuing a statement, Rajapaksa said that a news report previously published in the media has mistakenly claimed that a building constructed by another individual near the Menik Ganga in Kataragama belongs to him.

“On Monday, October 13, 2025, certain television channels aired a report in which my name was once again mentioned in relation to this building. A CID investigation was conducted in the past regarding the ownership of this building. I also provided a statement as part of that investigation,” he said.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa further said that the reason he was questioned about this matter was due to an application submitted under the name “G. Rajapaksha” to obtain an electricity connection for the said building.

“That application did not contain a proper signature. The space where the signature should have been was marked with an unclear scribble. As this false report continues to resurface from time to time, I firmly state for public awareness that the building near the Menik Ganga in Kataragama is not my property,” he said. 

Gotabaya Rajapaksa added that he has never had any reason or desire to construct or maintain any building in the Kataragama area. 

The property in question is located on a reservation land near the Menik Ganga in Kataragama, consisting of a building with 12 rooms. The CID launched a probe into the illegal construction of a building on Government land. The investigation initially commenced during the Yahapalana Government but was reportedly halted following Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s election as President. 

Investigations conducted so far have revealed that the property in question was constructed before 2010 and was built with the labour of a military group. It is reported that a member of the Sri Lankan Navy, reportedly assigned to the security of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son Yoshitha Rajapaksa, had been occupying the building after the construction. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lankan Police have released images of the cache of weapons that were found in the Weheragala Lake in Kataragama on Tuesday (30).

According to the Police, the weapons found are; 

• 214 magazines of T-56
• 38 drum magazines of LMG
• 11 magazines of MPMG 200
• 09 magazines of MPMG 100
• 06 magazines of T-81
• 01 drum of 12.7 (used in anti-aircraft weapons) with 100 rounds

The cache of weapons had been found due to the water level of the Weheragala Lake receding.

The Police said the location where the weapons were found falls under the Gonaganara  Police Division. 

They added that Sri Lankan Navy divers are to be used to further inspect the area, while the Gonaganara Police Station is conducting further investigations. (Newswire) 

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A cache of ammunition was discovered in the Weheragala Lake in Kataragama on Tuesday (30). 

According to the Police, the recovered ammunition includes 74 T-56 magazines, 36 T-56 light machine gun magazines, several T-81 magazines, and two boxes containing other ammunition.

The Kataragama Police is conducting further investigations into the incident. (Newswire)

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Two children, aged 15 and 04, have died in two separate road accidents reported in the Mannar and Kataragama areas on Thursday. 

A 04-year-old boy was reported dead after the motorcycle he was travelling on collided with a pickup truck in the Murungkan area on Thursday afternoon. 

The Police said the accident had occurred when the child was travelling on the motorcycle with his father, mother, and sister.

The family of four, which had sustained injuries, had been admitted to the Mannara Hospital, where one child had succumbed to injuries. 

The driver of the pickup truck has been arrested in connection with the accident. The Mannar Police is conducting investigations. 

Meanwhile, a 15-year-old boy was reported dead after a three-wheeler collided with a lorry on the Gonagangaara-Kataragama road on Thursday morning.

A man, his wife, and two children who were travelling in the three-wheeler had sustained injuries in the accident and had been admitted to Kataragama Hospital. One child, a resident of Bibile, had succumbed to injuries at the hospital. 

The driver of the lorry has been arrested in connection with the accident. The Kataragama Police is conducting investigations. (Newswire)

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Former Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Ashoka Wickramasinghe has been arrested in connection with fraud related to a property in Kataragama linked to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s family. 

Ashoka Wickramasinghe, who was the former Chairman of the Kataragama Pardeshiya Sabha, was arrested by officials of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today. 

It is reported that he has been arrested on charges of having allegedly prepared documents in connection with a house belonging to the Rajapaksa family in Kataragama. (Newswire)

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The Chief Prelate of the Kiri Vehera, Ven. Kobawaka Dhamminda Thera has reported to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) today to provide a statement regarding a property in Kataragama.

Ven. Dhamminda Thera’s lawyer told the media that his client has arrived to provide details regarding a house constructed at the premises of the Kiri Vehera Temple in Kataragama during former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure as President. 

The lawyer said that Ven. Dhamminda Thera has already provided a statement and has reported today to provide a further statement as requested by the CID. 

The Basnayake Nilame of the Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya, Dishan Gunasekara was also questioned by the CID for nearly 03 hours yesterday regarding the same property.

Speaking to the media after having recorded his statement, Dishan Gunasekara said the house was built by a person named Wimalaratne and was funded by the then Chief Incumbent of the Kataragama Kiriwehera Temple, Ven. Soratha Thera.

Dishan Gunasekara revealed that the house did not belong to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, but was built for him by Ven. Soratha Thera. (Newswire)

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The Basnayake Nilame of the Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya, Dishan Gunasekara says he was questioned by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today regarding a house built for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Kataragama.

Speaking to reporters, Dishan Gunasekara said the house was built by a person named Wimalaratne and was funded by the then Chief Incumbent of the Kataragama Kiriwehera Temple.

Stating that the person who built the house is currently unwell and the then Chief Incumbent of the Kataragama Kiriwehera Temple has passed away, Dishan Gunasekara said he was the only one aware of the details related to the building.

He further said that, as such, the CID had summoned him to provide details about the property.

Dishan Gunasekara revealed that the house did not belong to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, but was built for him by the then Chief Incumbent of the Kataragama Kiriwehera Temple. 

“During the war, when Mahinda Rajapaksa visited temples, he did not stay at hotels, but instead at houses or small annexes built within the temple properties. This property in question is also a similar building,” he added. (Newswire)

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Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has denied links to a property in Kataragama, which was found to be illegally constructed and linked to electricity bills under the name G. Rajapaksa.

The property in question is located on a reservation land near the Menik Ganga in Kataragama, consisting of a building with 12 rooms. 

According to the state newspaper Dinamina, when questioned by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) the former President had denied links to the property, while he had also informed he was unaware of the electricity bills. 

The CID launched a probe into the illegal construction of a building on Government land. 

The investigation initially commenced during the Yahapalana Government but was reportedly halted following Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s election as President. 

Gotabaya Rajapaksa was questioned by the CID on 17 January 2025. His nephew and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son, Yoshitha Rajapaksa was previously questioned by the CID on 03 January. Both Rajapaksas have denied links to the property.

Investigations reveal that the property in question was constructed before 2010 and was built with the labour of a military group. 

It is reported a member of the Sri Lankan Navy, reportedly assigned to the security of Yoshitha Rajapaksa, has been occupying the building after the construction. (Newswire)

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A three-wheeler reportedly steered off the road and fell into a ditch due to the sudden appearance of a wild elephant on the Buttala – Kataragama Road.

According to video footage, seven children and three adults had been travelling in the three-wheeler at the time of the incident. 

The group is said to have been travelling from Passara to Kataragama for religious observances.

Two children and two adults are reported to have sustained minor injuries in the incident. 

As per the video, another vehicle travelling on the road is seen assisting the group, while other motorists assisted in pulling out the three-wheeler from the ditch. (NewsWire)

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