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Kataragama pilgrims harassed, abused by pooja watti touts
Pilgrims to Kataragama complain they are being harassed by touts when they go into town to buy pooja watti (basket of fruits offered at temples).
They say it is particularly bad in a place called “Kada Hatahliha” (40 shops) where traders sell these pooja watti.
The pilgrims say the touts engaged by these traders accost them as they enter the car park in front of the SLTB-run pilgrims’ rest. About 30 shops sell these pooja watti and others are newspaper agents.
These touts try to force the pilgrims to buy these offerings from particular shops and if they decline to do so they abuse them verbally. They sometimes object to pilgrims parking vehicles in front of particular shops, even going to the extent of vandalising the vehicles once the occupants leave to worship at the Maha Devalaya or the Kirivehera.
A newspaper agent K.M.Ariyasena said the touts also interfere with their business by threatening and preventing cyclists and motorcyclists from stopping in front of his boutique and buying newspapers from him.
A Kataragama Urban Development Authority official said that they had constructed the car park and shops and the complex was vested with the Kataragama Pradeshiya Sabha, which in turn, had rented out the car park to an individual. Although this individual charged a parking fee neither he nor the Pradeshiya Sabha have taken responsibility for the security of vehicles, the Sunday Times learns.
When Kataragama Chief Inspector Upali Kariyawasam was contacted regarding the problem he said on receiving complaints of harassment he had deployed two policemen at the car park to provide protection to the pilgrims.