COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) – Police in Sri Lanka on Thursday arrested the reigning Ms. World for pulling the crown off the head of Ms Sri Lanka’s beauty pageant winner and allegedly causing injuries. She was later released on bail.
Caroline Jurie, who is the Mrs. World 2020 competition was accused of hurting Pushpika De Silva, who won Ms. Sri Lanka’s title in a television game held in Colombo on Sunday.
Moments after De Silva won the title, Jurie, who is also Sri Lankan, took the stage and snatched the crown from her, saying she was ineligible because she was divorced. Jurie then gave the crown to the first runner-up, stating that she was the winner.
In a statement on her Facebook page, De Silva denied being divorced.
“Being separate is one thing. Divorce is a different matter. I am still a non-divorced woman, ”she wrote.
Police spokesman Ajith Rohana said police received a complaint from De Silva that she sustained injuries when her crown was removed.
Rohana said Jurie and a model, Chula Padmendra, were arrested on Thursday on charges of “simple injuries and criminal violence” and later released on bail. The two women were sentenced to appear in court on April 19.
Jurie declined to comment when she left the police station.
The incident during Sunday’s election, attended by the Prime Minister’s wife, caused a huge uproar in the Indian Ocean island nation. On Monday, the election organizers said they would return the crown to De Silva.