Gang Rivalry Forces Key Ritual Cancellation at Sri Lanka Hindu Festival

Colombo: A deadly threat stemming from the rivalry between two underworld gangs has forced the cancellation of a key ritual in Sri Lanka's centuries-old annual religious pageant at a revered ancient Hindu temple in the island nation, police said on Monday.

The week-long Esala perahera (pageant) at the Uthpalawanna Sri Vishnu temple in the coastal town of Devinuwara, which began on July 23, will not feature the traditional Kavadi dance on Tuesday following intelligence warnings.

Police have directed the Matara district secretary, the chief government administrator of the district, to cancel the Kavadi ritual over security concerns.

The Devinuwara Esala pageant, which dates back to the 13th century, is one of Sri Lanka's oldest and most significant religious and cultural festivals held in honour of Lord Vishnu, regarded as one of the guardian deities of the island.

The threat stemmed from an ongoing feud between fugitive drug kingpins Shehan Sathsara and Kanjipani Imran, both believed to be operating from overseas, police said. Authorities said the rivals had issued threats over the phone.

According to sources, people believed to be followers of Sathsara were awarded this year's contract to perform the Kavadi ritual instead of those linked to Imran, intensifying tensions between the two groups.

Kavadi is a ritual performed by devotees as an act of thanksgiving, in which participants carry elaborately decorated wooden structures on their shoulders while dancing to the accompaniment of drums and devotional music.

In March 2025, two suspected members of Imran's gang were shot dead opposite the temple in an attack allegedly carried out by the rival faction.

Five days ago, unidentified gunmen opened fire at a house near the temple in what police believe was another incident linked to the ongoing underworld conflict in Devinuwara.

Police intelligence also received information about a possible armed or drone attack targeting the pageant, prompting the Inspector General of Police to order enhanced security measures, including the cancellation of the Kavadi performance, the sources said.