Sri Lanka: 'Mrs World' arrested on assault charges after pageant stage brawl

Colombo police on Wednesday arrested Mrs World Caroline Jurie for injuring beauty pageant Pushpika de Silva on charges of assault, CNA reported. Jurie plucked the Mrs World crown off De Silva’s head with coercion over her marital status dispute that caused Mrs Sri Lanka head injuries. During the Sunday’s gala that streamed live from Colombo's Nelum Pokuna theatre, Jurie shocked the spectators after she angrily snatched the crown from De Silva in an on-stage bust-up at Mrs Sri Lanka crowning ceremony alleging that de Silva lied that she had separated with her husband, where as a matter of fact, she was divorced. 

In the footage of the incident that emerged online, Mrs World Jurie yelled during the on-stage altercation that Mrs Sri Lanka is a part of Mrs World beauty pageant for the "married women", and each country’s title would then be qualified to contest for Mrs World title. The eligibility criteria stated clearly that only married women were qualified to participate in the country-level beauty pageant competition. Jurie alleged that de Silva made false claims about her marital status to achieve the crown and therefore, she was going ahead to offer it to the runner-up. As she brutally pulled the crown off the tearful de Silva, in the presence of the shocked onlookers in the packed theatre, de Silva was reportedly injured and needed hospital intervention later.

'Should have been disqualified,' says de Silva

De Silva explained in a Facebook post, that she was not a divorced woman, and if at all there were doubts surrounding her marital status, she should not have been allowed to “come so far," and should have been disqualified during initial rounds. She added that it was a moment of great insult for her as a single mother to have the crown, which was placed by Mrs. World 7 minutes ago snatched from her head in front of everyone’s eyes. “Even though my crown has been snatched in front of everyone, I will keep my head straight at this moment,” de Silva said. She added, “This is a historical moment for me as a single woman when women and men all over the world have raised their voice for me.” Social media raised calls for honouring De Silva once again and she was given the crown back in a small ceremony organized after the incident. 

(Image Credit: Twitter/@Hak2861)