Sri Lankan police today quizzed a hardline Buddhist monk over last month’s communal clashes in the southwestern coastal areas that left four dead and nearly 100 injured.
Galagodaatte Gnanasara was asked to present himself at the CID headquarters to record his statement, Police Headquarters said.
Nationalist Buddhist group BBS or the Forces of Buddhist Power headed by Gnanasara was accused of being behind the anti-Muslim riots that began on June 15.
Police said they arrested 117 people and 88 of them were produced in court in connection with the clashes at Beruwala, Aluthgama and Dharga Town.
Gnanasara’s questioning came a day after defense secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa denied any links with BBS.
The opposition accused Rajapaksa, who is the brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa of providing cover to the BBS.
Gnanasara’s multiple-entry-visa to the United States was revoked by the US embassy this week.
In late March, the US moved a resolution at the UN rights body (UNHRC) to investigate Sri Lanka’s culpability for not countering racial tensions fanned by nationalist groups.