Panic swept through Anuradhapura on the 28th after a dramatic tip-off to police emergency services claimed that a bomb attack was being planned at the historic Ruwanwelisaya sacred site.
According to Anuradhapura Headquarters Police, the alert came through the 119 emergency hotline from a woman in Kurunegala, who warned that someone was entering the temple premises with an explosive device. What followed was an immediate and intense joint search operation by the Police, the Special Task Force, and the Army.
Security forces quickly descended on the sacred site and conducted a thorough sweep of the area, leaving no stone unturned. However, despite the high alert, authorities confirmed that no suspicious individuals or items were found during the extensive operation.
In a bizarre twist, the caller reportedly introduced herself as a doctor and claimed that a former president and a former army commander, both key figures in ending Sri Lanka’s civil war, were somehow involved in transporting the bomb to the site.
Investigations are ongoing into the nature and source of the call. A senior police officer confirmed that if the report is proven to be false and malicious, strict legal action will be taken against the individual responsible.
The sacred Ruwanwelisaya stupa, a symbol of peace and reverence, now stands at the center of a troubling security scare that has rattled the public and raised serious questions about false alarms and their impact on national security.
