Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya, forwarding an official written recommendation to the Matara District Secretary, has informed that action should be taken to temporarily remove the kavadi dance event from the 769th annual Esala Maha Perahera festival of the historic Devinuwara Utpalavanna Sri Vishnu Maha Devalaya as scheduled to be held on July 28.

According to the Police Media Spokesperson, the IGP has pointed out through the letter dated July 25 that this decision was reached considering intelligence assessment reports provided by the Chief of National Intelligence, State Intelligence Service, Police Special Bureau, and the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Southern Province.

Acting accordingly, Matara District Secretary Chandana Thilakaratne has informed Devinuwara Basnayake Nilame Arachchige Thilina Madushanka to take necessary steps to remove the kavadi dance event.

According to intelligence reports, a severe dispute arose between factions of organised criminals 'Dehi Bale Malli' and 'Unakuruwe Shantha' when selecting kavadi groups this time, and this situation has escalated with steps taken to remove several kavadi groups that behaved breaching the discipline of conduct last year.

Voice tapes circulated on social media showing that overseas-based alleged criminal 'Kanjipani Imran' threatened that problems could arise during the perahera if his faction's kavadi groups are not given an opportunity, and also issued death threats to the Basnayake Nilame leading the perahera.

In response to this, the individual named 'Dehi Bale Malli' also released threatening voice tapes, and these threatening voice tapes were broadcast across mainstream media and social media as well.