Dhammaloka Thera hospitalised prior to CID questioning
Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera who was summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday to record a statement into an incident where a two-and a-half-year-old elephant calf was found inside the Thera’s temple, had admitted himself to a private hospital in Colombo.
Following the Thera’s non-appearance, the CID yesterday night had visited the private hospital where the Thera was undergoing treatment.
It was not clear whether the Police had visited the hospital to arrest the Thera or record a statement. At the time of going to the press Police officers were still present at the hospital premises, the sources said.
Meanwhile. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had visited the private hospital to look in to the well-being of Dhammaloka Thera yesterday evening.
There is an ongoing investigation in to an incident where an elephant calf was found inside Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera’s Alan Mathiniyaramaya Temple in Polhengoda.
In a court case related to this the CID told Court earlier that the baby elephant was not registered under Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera’s name or the Temple’s name.
The Department of Wildlife Conservation officials had taken into custody a two and half year-old elephant calf found inside the Alan Mathiniyaramaya Temple in Polhengoda on January 28 last year.
(Source: Daily News)
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There should be a thorough investigation to find out how this two and half year elephant ended up in this temple. It is a known fact that there is a well organized gang capturing tiny elephants terrorizing herds and selling to temples and prominent people.
There should be thorough investigations not only into the presence of elephants in the temples but the CID/FCID/POLICE or any law enforcing authorities should be mobilized and sent hounding after the prelates residing in the temples where the presence of young boys or girls or even adults liable to be abused are entertained by such prelates. This will not only clean all the temples in the island of almost all the priests and even the Buddhasasana out of Sri Lanka. Dear Prime Minister you have a good set of followers here and abroad to see you achieve it. You are on the right track with the new laws on the Sangha Vinaya.