Hindu priest arrested over infant’s death

PRIYADARSHANI KAHAWALA Ingiriya central group cor

A Hindu priest from a devale in Ingiriya was arrested in connection with the death of a one month old infant in Poruwedanda, Sawmyapura on Saturday.

The child’s parents said they had doubts about the child’s death following which the case was handed over

to the Horana Magistrate Court by coroner Sumedha Gunawardena. The parents of the victim, Sanjana Madhushani, are residents of Wagawatta, Shanthipura.

The Police said the infant refused to drink the mother’s milk and her parents took the child to a Hindu Kovil in Ingiriya.

“The priest of the kovil said a greedy person had entered the infant’s body and shook the infant to rid itself of the parasite,” the child’s father Rajendran Darshana said.

A few days later the child vomited blood and she was taken to the Horana Hospital. The infant died while on the way to hospital.

The Hindu priest was released on police bail and the child’s body was sent to the Panadura Base Hospital for a medical report.

Investigations are continuing.