Colombo: Urgent Warning Issued to Buddhists Amid Chaos at Sacred Tooth Exhibition
Authorities in Sri Lanka have issued an urgent warning to Buddhists flocking to see a sacred tooth in Kandy, urging them to stay away as chaos ensues. The exhibition of the relic, believed to be a tooth of the Buddha, has resulted in four deaths and hundreds falling sick while waiting in lengthy queues.
Regional police chief Lalith Pathinayake revealed that queues in Kandy stretched for 10 kilometers, with an estimated 450,000 people waiting in line on Thursday morning. This number far exceeded the expected daily turnout of 200,000.
“At the rate the queue is moving, even those already in line this morning may not be able to enter the temple,” Deputy Inspector General Pathinayake warned. “We appeal to the people not to come to Kandy.”
Over 300 individuals were admitted to the city’s main hospital after falling ill from the cramped conditions, with four fatalities recorded upon admission, including an elderly woman. More than 2,000 people who fainted while standing in line received treatment at 11 mobile health units.
Efforts to prevent a stampede were emphasized by Sarath Abeykoon, the governor of the province, who highlighted concerns about sanitation. The railway department suspended additional trains to Kandy due to the overwhelming number of pilgrims, while police commandos were tasked with moving crowds away from a potentially hazardous old bridge.
With the city running out of parking space, 32 buses were turned away and authorities struggled to manage the influx of visitors. The relic, last displayed publicly in 2009, was expected to attract around two million visitors over a 10-day period, a figure that was surpassed within just five days.
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