Three nabbed with gold Buddha statue in trishaw

Aloka Bandara Dissanayaka Dambulla spl. corr.

A trishaw transporting an ancient Buddha statue made of gold was taken into custody by Sigiriya Police, sources said.

The police team engaged in checking vehicles at Inamaluwa arrested the tri-shaw while the statue was being transported from Minneriya to Katana along with three young men. Two suspects are from the Minneriya area while the other is from Katana. One is an Army deserter and another is a home guard. The Dambulla Magistrate remanded the three men.

The statue had been wrapped with a towel and hidden under the carpet of the tri-shaw.

Police also recovered 54 pieces of polished stones, a gold ring, a gold chain and a bracelet.