The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) is in the dark over what has happened to the historical statue of Queen Victoria located at the Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha in Colombo 7.

A statue of Queen Victoria seated on the throne was sculptured by British sculptor George Edward Wade to commemorate the diamond jubilee of her coronation in 1897. The statue was first placed near what was then used as the British Governor's official residence in Colombo (now the President's House). The statue was recently installed at Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha in Colombo 7, adjacent to the Victoria Park, also known as the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo.

As the statue in question is not in its location at present, The Daily Morning contacted the CMC, and an official there claimed that it was learned that the employees of the CMC had seen the Army arrive and remove the statue with the use of cranes and other equipment from the place about a month-and-a-half ago. However, she said that it was not known for what purpose it was taken away. She also said that the CMC should have been informed of its relocation, as it was located under a CMC area. 

When the Colombo Municipal Commissioner Bhadranie Jayawardhana was contacted, she said that she had not been informed about the statue being taken to another place. However, she said that if it is not in the usual location, it might have been taken away for some improvement-related work. 

“This is a monument that was located in the City of Colombo. It may have been taken away for some improvement work.”

Speaking to The Daily Morning, the Sri Lanka Army Media Director, Major General Rasika Kumara said that he was not aware of any such removal by the Army. “As far as I know, the Army has not done such a removal. Usually, cranes are needed to remove a statue of this sort. The cranes are with the Corps of Engineers. When I enquired, they said that such work was not done. However, if the Army does something like this, it must be at the request of some Government agency, as otherwise, there is no need for them to remove a statue.”

The Department of Archeology and the Cinnamon Gardens Police Station were not available for comment.