The Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate has rejected the bail application filed on behalf of the two youths arrested for taking photographs while standing atop a small ‘stupa’ inside the Mihintale sacred area and publishing them to social media.
The court also ordered to further remand them until February 27.
Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Janaka Prasanna Samarasinghe ordered the Mihintale Police OIC to submit a report on the progress of the investigations being carried out regarding the incident.
He also instructed the Assistant Archaeological Commissioner of Anuradhapura to submit an archeological report on the area where the stupa in question is situated and said photographs were taken.
The remanded suspects, aged 18 and 20 years old, are students of a private school in Thihariya, Nittambuwa and residents of Muthur.
On February 14, the officers of the Department of Archaeology in Mihintale had apprehended the two youths and handed them over to the Mihintale police station for onward action.
