The priest of the Kadwara Devalaya in Kataragama was taken into custody by the wildlife officials of the Lunugamwehera and Kithulkote offices on a tip-off for having 20 kilos of venison in his deep freezer.
The deep freezer and venison were also taken into custody.
On interrogation by wildlife officials, the priest revealed that the venison was obtained by killing a deer he hunted at the Kataragama sylvan shrine area.
The wildlife officials said the Kadawara Devalaya is situated close to the Kataragama Maha Devalaya.
Meanwhile, Angunakolapelessa Magistrate Kushika Kumarasiri imposed three months’ Rigorous Imprisonment, suspended for five years, on a suspect who pleaded guilty of having brought cigars and tobacco to an inmate of the Angunakolapelessa prison hidden in a parcel of cooked meat.
The suspect is a resident of Pahala Beragama in Ambalantota. Attorney-at-law Bastian Liyanarachchi appeared for the suspect.
Meanwhile, Angunakolapelessa Police found a skull of a human at the Gajamangama canal, near the Eraminiyaya Bridge.
Angunakolapelessa Police said Angunakolapelessa Acting Magistrate Prabath Weerasinghe visited the place where the skull was found and ordered the police to send the skull to the Hambantota General Hospital for examination