Court orders Buddhist chief priest to return encroached land

[TamilNet, Sunday, 27 March 2011, 03:40 GMT]
The Vaazhaichcheanai District Court Friday ordered the Chief Priest of Sri Buddha Jayanthi Vihare to hand over the encroached playground of the Piraanthu'raich-cheanai Askar School back to the school authorities. The Chief Priest had illegally constructed an eighty meter long fence annexing the school's playground four months ago with the security protection of the Vaazhaichcheanai Police.

The Principal of the school Mr.M.S.M. Subaideen filed a case in the Vaazhaichcheanai District Court against the encroachment of the playground stating that it is being used by the school for the last thirty years.

The case was taken for inquiry four times.

But the Chief Priest had failed to provide documentary proof to substantiate his claim that it belonged to the Vihare during the inquiry.

The District Judge Mr.A.M.M. Riyal ordered the respondent to hand over the playground to the school authorities.

The court order came amid protest by Mr. Jawhar Sally, Councilor of the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) against the encroachment to the Batticaloa District Development Committee (BDDC) and to the notice of the Sri Lanka’s President and Inspector General of Police.

The BDDC later asked the police not to interfere in the dispute until the BDDC takes a decision on the encroachment.