– Police will record a statement from Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila over his allegations that the robes of Ven. Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara Thera were forcibly removed at the Welikada Prison, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said today.Speaking at the weekly briefing to announce Cabinet decisions, Jayatissa said an investigation would be conducted following a complaint lodged by prison authorities.The Minister said the investigation would seek to establish whether the alleged incident had taken place and, if so, the circumstances under which it had occurred.

“Gammanpila can now reveal during the investigation what he said, saw and heard,” Jayatissa said.Gammanpila has alleged that the robes of Ven. Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara Thera were forcibly removed at Welikada Prison under pressure from the National People’s Power (NPP) leadership, despite objections from the monk and prison officers.Addressing a media conference in Colombo while dressed in black, Gammanpila said he had visited the Thera at Welikada Prison on October 8 at the monk’s request and had been informed of the circumstances surrounding the removal of his robes and an attempt to make him wear a prison uniform.According to Gammanpila, the Thera had told him that prison officials attempted to dress him in a prison jumpsuit, but that he had strongly objected.