News
Probe on Dutch monk’s mystery death: Govt. Analyst sent second concrete stone
Ven. Netherlandaye Jinawansa Thera
Underwater divers were used to ascertain whether a second concrete block-stone similar to the one tied on to his leg could be located at the lagoon bed in investigations continuing on the death by drowning of the Dutch monk, Ven. Netherlandaye Jinawansa Thera (Ajahn Jinavamso) last month. His body was found in the Ratgama lagoon in the Galle district close to his hermitage Buddhist monastery.
A concrete block (10 inches in length and 6 inches wide) strapped to the monk’s right leg by a wire was found when the body was detected. On the left leg a nylon rope was found, but nothing was attached to it.
However, the investigation team has found another stone similar to the attached concrete block found with the body in some area near the islet which they were trying to compare with the stone found.
They have sent it to the Government Analysts Department for further investigations.
Two underwater cameras were used a few weeks back for the search operation in the lagoon.
According to the police, the Ven Jinawansa Thera was last seen in Kumarakanda area on December 7 (Monday) morning. His image has been recorded on a CCTV camera of a grocery store. Visuals show the 59-year-old monk receiving offerings of alms(pindapatha) and walking.
The Thera used to row his canoe type boat to different locations and then walk into the village to receive alms.
Ratgama lagoon
Investigators have recovered a small mobile phone without a SIM card in the monk’s chamber and 9 SD cards.There are some photos inside those SD cards but investigation teams did not find any CCTV camera inside the chamber. They however found a voice recorder and a radio.
There are some printed abstract art photographs and graphics pasted on the walls .
Police investigators accompanying detection dogs searched the Polgasduwa islet and the nearby islet named Parappuduwa.
The late monk had been ordained in Sri Lanka as Ajahn Jinavamso.He had arrived in Sri Lanka 12 years ago from the Netherlands and spent the past eight years at the Polgasduwa islet Hermitage, two kilometres from the Ratgama town.