The Police Media Spokesperson’s Office says that a suspect involved in the removal of archaeological nameplates in the Batticaloa district has been arrested in the Kiran area of Batticaloa. It is also reported that the Valachchenai Police have also recovered the nameplates removed by the suspects.
The Chairman of the Valachchenai Pradeshiya Sabha, who was directly involved in the incident, has now fled the area and 4 police teams are conducting investigations to find him.
The Department of Archaeology began installing direction signs and signboards at archaeological sites in the Batticaloa district on November 3rd, and a few days later, the authorities of a Pradeshiya Sabha removed these signs. A video showing the signs being removed and loaded onto a tractor for removing garbage recently circulated on social media.