A complaint has been lodged with the CID that the chief custodian of the Ruhunu Kataragama Devalaya – T. Somipala, has been missing for 02 weeks.

The complaint, lodged on Dec. 22 by a grandson of Mr. Somipala, has also noted that the disappearance affects the activities of the Devalaya while putting the artifacts at the location at risk.

It is reported that the issues had arisen due to a dispute between Mr. Somipala and the 12th Basnayaka Nilame of the Ruhunu Katharagama Devayala –  Dishan Gunasekara.

With reports citing that monetary and gold offerings by pilgrims are being stolen by the custodians of the Devalaya, the public have begun to donate more to the cancer hospital development fund box at the Devayala’s main office rather than keeping monetary offerings with the traditional fruit offerings (Pooja Wattiya), reports add.

This trend has also increased after the Attorney General had called for the arrest of the chief custodian. In this backdrop, many have tended to shift towards other Devalayas in the premises.