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A photo circulating on social media has triggered a high-level investigation in Sri Lanka, where authorities are trying to determine whether the image was illegally taken during the rare public display of one of Buddhism’s most sacred artefacts: the Buddha’s tooth relic, AFP reported on Sunday.
Here’s what you need to know:
Why Is the Photo a Big Deal?
According to the report, the image in question allegedly shows the Buddha’s tooth relic, which only recently went on public display at the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. Such exhibitions are extremely rare—this is the first one since March 2009—and come with tight security protocols, the report said.
Photography is strictly prohibited during the viewing. Devotees are thoroughly frisked, bags and parcels are banned and mobile phones must be surrendered before entering the sacred area, reports suggest.
“If someone took a photo inside the temple, it is a serious security lapse,” a police official told AFP on the condition of anonymity, while adding, “There is a significant presence of plain-clothed officers inside the temple”.
What Are the Police Doing About It?
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Sri Lanka has reportedly been tasked with verifying the authenticity of the image.
Investigators would determine whether the photo was taken by a worshipper during the current exhibition or if it was a doctored image shared for sensationalism or misinformation, the AFP report stated, citing a police statement.
Why Is the Tooth Relic So Important?
The relic, believed by Sri Lanka’s majority Buddhist population to be the left canine of the Buddha, is more than a religious object—it is also a symbol of state sovereignty.
The relic’s display has drawn massive crowds. On the first day alone, an estimated total of around 125,000 people visited the temple in just two and a half hours, AFP reported, quoting police. The 10-day viewing is scheduled to conclude on April 27. In the days that followed, viewing hours were extended to five-and-a-half hours daily, it said.
Reports suggest that a surge in pilgrims has led to traffic chaos in Kandy, and tens of thousands of devotees have been camping overnight just to catch a glimpse of the relic.
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