General

Mawathagama Police have taken 14 people into custody for their involvement in the theft of a valuable Buddha statue from a temple in Kahapathwala. The police began their investigation after receiving a report on January 28, 2026, about the missing statue from the monks’ quarters at Kebilithigoda Purana Raja Maha Viharaya, located in the Mawathagama area. Investigators found that four men, who pretended to be officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), entered the temple on the night the statue was stolen. They took the 1 1/2 feet tall golden Buddha statue, claiming it was needed for an investigation. Following more inquiries, police arrested the 14 suspects on January 31. The stolen statue was recovered, along with two vans believed to be used by the thieves. The arrested individuals, aged between 22 and 56, come from Minigamuwa, Theldeniya, Monaragala, Matugama, Matale, and Rideegama. They appeared before the Pilessa Magistrate and were remanded until February 13, 2026. Mawathagama Police continue to look into the case.