Shakthika Sathkumara, a Sri Lankan poet and writer, has been arrested by the police yesterday for insulting Buddhism in one of his short stories. 

The Polgaawela Magistrate has remanded the writer until April 09 when he was presented before the court last afternoon. 

Sathkumara was arrested by the police following a complaint lodged by a group of Buddhist monks in the Polgahawela area. 

The same group has also lodged a complaint with the Polgahawela Divisional Secretariat where Sathkumara is employed as a Development Officer. 

Sources close to him said the short story under question centres on a case of sexual abuse within a Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka.