India to carry out full investigation on Maha Bodhi attack

The Indian High Commission has assured Sri Lanka’s Ministry of External Affairs that a full investigation would be carried out into the attack on Maha Bodhi Centre and informed that two suspects have already been taken into custody in this regard.

The High Commission also assured the Ministry that necessary action would be taken to ensure the safety and welfare of the Maha Bodhi Centre and other Sri Lankan institutions and establishments in the State of Tamil Nadu, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement yesterday.

Following is the full statement:

Sri Lanka expresses concern over the attack on the Sri Lanka Maha Bodhi Centre in Chennai.

An unidentified group consisting of 10-15 persons carried out an attack on the Sri Lanka Maha Bodhi Centre in Egmore, Chennai around 9 p.m. on 24 January 2011.

During this incident, three Buddhist monks, namely, Ven. Kumburugamuwe Vajira Nayaka Thero, the Chancellor of Sabaragamuwa University; Ven. Samitha Thero of the Maha Bodhi Centre in Chennai and Ven. Nepalaye Maithree Thero, a Nepal national residing at the Maha Bodhi Centre at that time, sustained minor injuries, while the property of the Centre was also damaged.

The injured were immediately rushed to the Mercury Hospital in Egmore where they were treated and subsequently discharged.

The relevant Tamil Nadu State Government authorities were immediately contacted and were requested to take necessary action to ensure security to the Maha Bodhi Centre and other Sri Lankan institutions and establishments in Chennai.

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in New Delhi, Prasad Kariyawasam has left for Chennai following this incident and is due to meet the Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu and other senior officials of the Tamil Nadu State Government with Deputy High Commissioner in Chennai, V. Krishnamoorthy, to express concern over the incident and seek their assistance to ensure the safety and welfare of the Maha Bodhi Centre and other Sri Lankan institutions and establishments in the State of Tamil Nadu, especially in Chennai.

The Ministry of External Affairs has also taken up this matter with the Indian Government through the Indian High Commission in Colombo. The Indian High Commission has assured the Ministry of External Affairs that a full investigation would be carried out into this incident and had informed that two suspects have already been taken into custody in this connection. The High Commission also assured the Ministry that necessary action would be taken to ensure the safety and welfare of the Maha Bodhi Centre and other Sri Lankan institutions and establishments in the State of Tamil Nadu.