Sri Lankan court cannot prevent animal sacrifices

A Sri Lankan court says it could not prevent the religious ritual of animal sacrifices at the Sri Badhra Kali Amman Kovil in Munneswaram, Chilaw. Chilaw District Judge and Magistrate Jagath A. Kahandagamage has said that he did not have the power to issue an order preventing the animal sacrifice scheduled at the Kovil.
The Magistrate had made these observations when hearing an application filed by the Chilaw Police seeking a restraining order to stop the animal sacrifice. The police had filed the case following a complaint made by the General Secretary of a nationalist organization, the Thun Helaye Jathika Viyaparaya, Ven. Omare Kassapa Thera. The police had previously informed the court that the guardians of the Kovil did not have a legal right to perform the animal sacrifice ritual. The ritual is scheduled for September 16. -->