Sri Lanka’s archaeology department declared that a large swathe of land in Nedunkeni, where a Hindu temple is situated, has now come under their control and warned locals that it is now off limits.
Locals including temple administrators from the Aathy Iyanar temple in Vedukkunaari Malai, Nedunkeni-Olumadu in the Vavuniya district, were asked to attend a meeting at Nedunkeni Police station this week.
At the meeting, four officials from the archaeology department declared that Vedukkunaari Malai had now come under their control, and that locals were prohibited from entering the area. The officials further warned them that if they did attempt to access the area, including the temple grounds, they would be arrested.
In 2014, a group of unknown persons had previously tried to break granite stone located in Vedukkunaari Malai, before locals intervened and stopped it.
