By Dharisha Bastians

Pandemonium reigned outside the Homagama Magistrate’s Court yesterday, after the court ordered the arrest and remand of controversial Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Galagodaththe Gnanasara Thero on contempt of court charges.

Gnanasara Thero was escorted to the Welikada Remand prison under Special Task Force (STF) protection, after riot police squads were deployed to control an unruly mob of monks and lay people trying to prevent his arrest.

Saffron-clad monks attempted to scale the courtroom wall and lay down under the tyres of the prison bus trying to prevent the vehicle from leaving the court premises. Screeching obscenities and threats at prison officials and lawyers and threatening to self-immolate, the mob created chaos outside the courtroom for hours, preventing judges and court officials from leaving the premises.

“Our grouse is not with the prison officials or the courts. Our grouse is with the big shots. Give me two days. Be calm, let me go to remand – the law is the same for everyone. But we insist that the same law be applied to Sandhya Ekneligoda as well!” Gnanasara Thero screamed in an attempt to ‘calm’ his supportive crowds.

The controversial Buddhist monk was arrested on charges of threatening a court official, obstructing court proceedings and contempt of court, after he tried and failed to intervene in the Prageeth Ekneligoda disappearance case on Monday (25). Gnanasara Thero reacted to the magistrate’s refusal to allow him to intervene by calling state prosecutors “eunuchs” and accusing lawyers of betraying the country’s armed forces. He also allegedly threatened Sandhya Ekneligoda and told her that her missing husband Prageeth was a member of the LTTE.

The BBS General Secretary surrendered before the Homagama Police last morning, based on an arrest warrant issued by the Homagama Magistrate on Monday. He was produced before the Magistrate yesterday and ordered to be remanded.

Ranil wants full report on Homagama riot

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has ordered the Police to send a full report of the incidents outside the Homagama Magistrate’s Court yesterday to the chief prelates of the Malwatte and Kotte chapters.

Making a statement in Parliament yesterday, Premier Wickremesinghe said an unruly group had rioted and demonstrated outside the courtroom after the Magistrate ordered the arrest of controversial Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary, Galagodaththe Gnanasara Thero for contempt of court

“That is a decision of the courts. We are all subject to the same law,” the Prime Minister said.

He added that these groups were bringing shame to Buddhists. (DB)