Protesting monk set himself on fire [May 24 2013]

A Buddhist monk received severe burn injuries when he set himself on fire outside Dalada Maligawa in Kandy this morning in protest over cattle slaughter, police said.

Eye witnesses told the police the monk poured petrol over his body and then lit himself. He was rushed to the Kandy Hospital with severe injuries and later transferred to Colombo National Hospital.

Preliminary investigations had revealed that the Buddhist monk identified as Ven. Bowatte Indraratana Thera was a former Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) member of the Pelmadulla Pradeshiya Sabha, the police said.