The Sri Lankan government has announced that a committee has been formed to investigate reported incidents of vanadalism of Buddha statues in Mawanella in the Kegalle district.
Sajith Premadasa, the current minister of housing, construction and cultural affairs appointed the committee, which is set to include officials from the cultural affairs and archaeology departments. The committee comes even though the government has admitted that initial investigations have shown the statues had no archaeological value.
The ministry has also reported that funds would be made available for the reconstruction of the statues by next week.
The Daily Mirror reports that at least seven people have been arrested over the reported vandalism of statues in the area.
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