Colombo Additional Magistrate H.D.D.J. Premaratne today (23) ordered the Department of Wildlife Conservation to arrest and produce in court a young woman named Methmi Hiranya, who is alleged to have violently danced with a python by the neck during a “Royal Avurudu Princess” selection competition held in the Colombo area.
The order was issued following a presentation made by the Department of Wildlife Conservation to the court regarding the videos circulating on social media these days regarding this incident.
The Department of Wildlife had also requested the court to grant permission to obtain a statement from the model Chandimal Jayasinghe, who is said to have organized the event, and the cameraman who filmed the incident, and the court granted that permission.
A young man named Lakshan Madhusankha, who was treating an injured python at home, was arrested by the Wildlife Department and produced before the court, where he was fined Rs. 50,000. The Wildlife Department’s conduct in relation to the incident was heavily criticized on social media.
Social media users who commented on the incident strongly criticized the Wildlife Department for not enforcing the law against the young woman who abused the python and for arresting a young man who treated an injured python.