Tension after Buddhist monk arrives at Vedukkunaari Hill with Buddha statue

28-Sep-2026

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Tension prevailed at the Adi Sivan Temple premises at Vedukkunaari Malai in Nedunkeni, Vavuniya North, after a Buddha statue was suddenly placed there.

Ahead of the Purattasi Saturday observance, large numbers of Hindu devotees began gathering at the Vedukkunaari Temple from the morning on September 26, 2026, to participate in special religious observances accompanied by the serving of free meals.

Devotees travelling to the temple were made to get down from their vehicles and were allowed to enter the premises by the police only after their names and full details had been recorded.

When they entered the premises, a group led by a Buddhist monk, along with hundreds of people, was present at the Vedukkunaari Temple premises, having placed a Buddha statue and made arrangements for Buddhist religious observances.

This caused shock and opposition among the Hindu devotees gathered there. The entry of security personnel and officials of the Department of Archaeology into the Adi Sivan temple premises wearing footwear also caused shock and opposition among the Hindu devotees.

A large number of members of the Special Task Force and police personnel were deployed both within the temple premises and at the foot of the hill, while Forest Conservation Department officials were also present.

As worship at the Adi Sivan shrine at the summit of the hill commenced, Tamil National People’s Front MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, the party’s secretary Gajendran, and Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi MPs Sivagnanam Sritharan, Dr P. Sathiyalingam and Thurai Rajasingham Ravikaran urged the police to instruct the Buddhists who were near the summit to move down.

Meanwhile, a verbal dispute also occurred between a Forest Conservation official, a police officer and lawyer Kandipan.

The people’s representatives repeatedly urged the authorities not to obstruct members of the public who came to worship and to allow them to proceed freely and worship at the shrine. They also maintained that permission should not be granted to place the Buddha statue at the summit of the hill, where the Adi Sivan shrine is located.

In the meantime, the group led by the Buddhist monk placed the Buddha statue at the lower part of the hill and engaged in religious observances. They continued their worship until around 4.00 p.m. and subsequently left the area. The Tamil representatives and others also left the location thereafter.