Monk found dead in temple

Serunuwara Pashana Pabbatha Temple incumbent Ven. Ratnapura Devananda Kiththi Thera was found dead in the temple on Friday, police said.

Serunuwara police found the Thera’s body hanging in the temple and dispatched it to the Trincomalee Hospital for the post mortem following the magisterial inquiry.

Investigating officers have found a letter by Devananda Thera claiming that a monk who had murdered another monk was responsible for his death.

This letter had been addressed to the new incumbent of the Serunuwara Temple, Ven. Kotapola Amarakiththi Thera.

The deceased had given his car to his nephew and his three-wheeler to a friend in Ratnapura about two weeks prior to his death, police said.