Youth arrested over semi-nude photos at Pidurangala released
October 10, 2018 01:47 pm
The three youths who were arrested and remanded over the semi-naked photographs taken on top of the Pidurangala rock, have been warned and ordered released by the Dambulla District Magistrate’s Court.
The hearing of the case concluded today (Oct. 10) after it was taken up before Dambulla Magistrate Kosala Bandara.
The three youths, who had pleaded guilty to the charge, were strongly warned by the court and ordered released.
The second and third defendants were also each ordered to pay Rs 1,500 as government fees.
Sri Lanka police last month arrested three youths part of a group who took a photo of themselves posing indecently at the sacred Buddhist site on grounds of insensitivity.
They reportedly posted images to social media of themselves at Pidurangala Rock, a 200 metre tall, hard-to-climb rock formation popular among hikers.
The arrests reportedly came after a formal complaint by a Buddhist monk, who said the photo was a religious insult. Ven. Dr. Danegama Ananda Thero of the Pidurangala Raja Maha Vihara had lodged a complaint with the Sigiriya Police Station.
Accordingly, police commenced investigations in to the incident and steps were taken to implement law against persons who appear on these photographs under Pornography Prevention Amendment Act No. 22 of 1983 and the Police Ordinance.
Investigations conducted by police had revealed that the youths who published the ‘semi-naked’ photos are from Galewela and Kurunegala areas. They were taken into custody on September 26.
It is believed the young men were inspired to take the photo by a certain Instagram page, which encourages people to expose skin at famous locations around the world.
Pidurangala Rock is few kilometres from the ancient city of Sigiriya, a Unesco World Heritage site often referred to as the eighth wonder of the world.
