An alarming incident has emerged from the Sri Lanka Bhikkhu University in Anuradhapura, where a 25-year-old student monk was brutally assaulted by a group of fellow monks. The motive? Alleged betrayal of a protest movement within the university.
According to police reports, the injured monk, currently in his third year of studies, was attacked while visiting temples in the Umunpitiya, Bodhagama, and Mihintale areas. The attackers, also student monks, are believed to have accused him of undermining the internal struggle taking place on campus.
The victim is now receiving treatment at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital. Medical sources confirmed that the injuries are serious, though his condition is stable.
Statements given to police suggest that the monk was not only assaulted but also repeatedly kicked by the attackers, who claimed he had betrayed their cause. The internal rift appears to stem from disagreements over university affairs, potentially related to recent unrest or student-led activism.
The Anuradhapura Police Headquarters has dispatched a special team to investigate the assault. No arrests have been made yet, but authorities say further inquiries are ongoing.
This incident raises serious questions about discipline, safety, and escalating tensions even within religious academic institutions in Sri Lanka.
