Police assistance sought to nab treasure hunters

Nimal Wijesinghe
Anuradhapura Additional district group correspondent

The Archaeological authorities at Anuradhapura have sought the assistance of the police to nab persons allegedly belonging to an organised group engaged in the destruction of monuments of archaeological and historical value in the sacred city of Anuradhapura and suburbs.

The Assistant Commissioner of Archaeology Anuradhapura said a number of historical monuments at Asokaramaya in the sacred city have been damaged by these treasure hunters.

The archaeologically preserved Buddha statue which is the only statue in the “Veerasana Posture” in Sri Lanka and also the Moonstone at Asokaramaya have been destroyed and defaced by vandals.

The Kugghathissa dagoba located within Maha Vihara boundaries in the sacred city too has been broken into by treasure hunters to unearth the valuables alleged to have been buried in the dagoba.

These historic places have been built in 1-2 B.C. according to Archaeologists.

The Assistant Commissioner is of the view that acts of vandalism and devastation of monuments especially in lonely and solitary areas, though being preserved are vulnerable to the attacks of vandals. He indicated that there was a increase of such activities.

The H.Q.I. Anuradhapura has made arrangements to probe into the complaints with regard to the acts of vandalism at certain religious centres in the sacred city.