Court orders digging up treasure

By Pushpakumara Mallawarachchi

November 22 - Excavations were carried out amid torrential rain on court order in a location in Expressway road reservation near Wandurawa Rajamaha Vihara in Veyangoda on information that a treasure had been buried there, but it was postponed for today (22) after no evidence of a treasure was found.

The Attanagalla Magistrate had ordered the excavations in the wake of the arrest of nine suspects including a man in robes, for digging up a treasure at this location. The suspects have been on remand.

The police, the STF, officers of Mirigama Divisional Secretariat, Archaeological Department officials, Road Development Authority officials were present during excavations.

OIC Veyangoda Police CI Asanga Rangana read out and explained the court order and requested the officials to cooperate to carry out the court order. The STF earmarked the location by using an earth scanner, and excavations were carried out with backhoes. During the excavations, RDA officials pointed out that a part of the side wall of the expressway had to be removed, causing a heavy loss to the authority.

After carrying out excavations amid torrential rain till about 4.00pm the officials decided to postpone it for the following day.

Excavations resumed last morning for the second day they came by a huge boulder at the depth of about 20ft and all attempts to dig it up failed. Officials said the boulder will have to be blasted in the pit. They said it would be carried out at night.