The CID yesterday recorded a 6 ½ hour statement from Abdul Hasan Fathima who claims she was harassed by Muslim extremists in Atalugama for having married a Sinhalese.
The residents of Atalugama held a media briefing recently and claimed that the woman was lying to the media about the incident.
Fathima and Galagodaththe Gnanasara Thera held a joint media briefing recently where she alleged that the members of the Atalugama Mosque had harassed her for marrying a Sinhalese.
Meanwhile, members from three of the 12 Muslim families residing in Atalugama and representatives of the Atalugama Mosque had held a media briefing and denied the allegations levelled against them by Fathima.
According to a member of the All Ceylon Jamayathul Ulema Organisation Amhar Hakamdeen, as there was an issue with regard to the woman’s character the residents had gone to her house and the incident had occurred at that point.
He said that no Maulavis or Masjid federation was behind this incident and also denied that there was any sharia law in Atalugama.
The residents’ claim that the woman in question (Fathima) had been with another man on March 24 night and the residents had gone there and confronted them and had got the police.
A female resident from the area said two police officers had entered the house and that some of the Sinhala residents had also come there.
She said then the police had handcuffed the two and brought them out of the house. She denied that the woman or children had been assaulted in any manner that day and that the Muslim leaders had never forced her to give up her religion.
Meanwhile, the CID had summoned the woman to their office and she had arrived there around 9.30 last morning. The CID had then questioned her for around 6 ½ hours and recorded her statement.
(Mirrror)