KANDY, Sri Lanka —- A pastor and two associates from Mount Carmel Theological College in Kandy, Sri Lanka, were arrested May 27 and charged with destroying Buddhist statues. Pastor Suresh Ramachandran, principal of the college, was released May 28 after authorities learned he had a clear alibi.
Pastor Christian Velu Selvarajah and Stephen Thomas, however, are still in custody and deny the charges. The chief monk at a local Buddhist temple accused the men of destroying two small statues of Buddha placed by a roadside in Kandy.
A crowd held demonstrations outside the college against the accused men, and Buddhist authorities were upset with the news of Ramachandran’s release. Ramachandran has since received threats, and police have advised him to take precautions.
Tensions remain high because of the extensive coverage by local radio stations.
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