Police arrested several members of Kavadi dance groups participating in the annual Devinuwara Uthpalawanna Sri Vishnu Maha Devalaya procession for alleged possession of narcotics during a special security operation in Matara on Tuesday (28) morning.
The crackdown occurred just hours ahead of the traditional parade, which is scheduled to commence at 2.00 p.m. today under heavy law enforcement surveillance.
The targeted inspections follow escalating safety concerns triggered by a rivalry between two underworld criminal syndicates over the control and participation of local performance troupes.
Tensions culminated in a recent shooting incident targeting a residence located near the Devalaya premises, forcing law enforcement authorities to re-evaluate safety measures.
The Acting Inspector General of Police initially advised the Matara District Secretary on 26 July to temporarily ban all Kavadi dance groups from this year's cultural event.
However, state officials overturned the recommended suspension during a high-level summit held on Monday at the Matara District Secretariat.
Following deliberations involving the Minister of Public Security, the Ministry Secretary, and senior police officers, authorities granted approval for traditional troupes with a history of participation to take part.
To mitigate security risks, police deployed approximately 1,500 security personnel to safeguard the procession route while subjecting all participating performers and supporting crews to mandatory physical searches.
Leave your comments
Login to post a comment
Post comment as a guest