Devundara procession begins amidst heightened security

The procession of the annual Esala festival of the Devinuwara Upulvan Sri Vishnu Maha Devalaya, which gained intense attention following controversial threatening audio tapes over a dispute between Kawadi groups, begins today (23).

The Kawadi event of the festival is scheduled to be held on July 28, and the Randoli procession will be on July 29.

Police have deployed Police and STF units for special security and traffic plan.

For traffic control and to ensure public safety 650 police officers are deployed, the Police Media Division announced.

In addition, 100 Police Special Task Force officers and intelligence officers are also deployed.

Meanwhile, police disclosed several facts regarding the motor car that arrived for the shooting incident at a house behind the Devundara Vishnu Devalaya.

Information revealed that the relevant motor car was obtained on a rental basis from the Kandy area, its number plates were altered, and it was confirmed to be a locally assembled motor car, revealed the Police.

Furthermore, when police made an inquiry from the owner corresponding to the vehicle number plate of the motor car, he stated that his motor car was at home.

The relevant motor car was found abandoned in the Dikwella-Beliatta Old Road area last night.

It was parked near the road, and when attempting to inspect the motor car earlier, the driver drove away the vehicle without stopping, after which the motor car struck a post and stopped, and the driver has fled, according to Police.

In addition, a motorcycle suspected of being connected to the same shooting is found by Dikwella Police in the Dikwella Ashokarama Road area.

It was revealed that this was also a motorcycle stolen from the Beliatta area.

Meanwhile, the shooting incident at the gate of a Police Constable's house in the Beliatta area was carried out by his cousin brother due to a land dispute, it was revealed.

The relevant constable currently serves at the Dikwella Police, and at the time the shooting occurred, he was away on night duty, police added.

Accordingly, his wife and children were at home, and none of them suffered any harm.