Extremist Buddhist monk, Gnanasara Thero, of the Sinhala nationalist Bodu Bala Sena organisation has been ordered to appear in court on November 8, for violating a court order.
A petition was filed by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Shanthi Sriskantharajah, stating that Gnanasara had violated the court order issued by Mullaitivu Additional Magistrate. Therefore, Gnanasara, the Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of the Mullaitivu area and the Inspector General of Mullaitivu Police have defied the judiciary in contempt.
On September 23, Gnanasara led the cremation of a deceased monk in the grounds of Neeraviyadi Hindu temple, despite a court injunction prohibiting the funeral rites from being carried out on the temple’s premises.