Sri Lanka’s ‘Mrs World’ arrested, bailed for on-stage assault

Sri Lanka Mrs World arrested over pageant bust-up

Mrs Sri Lanka World 2019 Caroline Jurie was arrested on Thursday by Colombo police after she yanked the crown of Beauty queen Pushpika De Silva, the winner of the “Mrs Sri Lanka” 2021 title. Pushpika De Silva won the “Mrs Sri Lanka” title in a televised ceremony on Sunday, and former winner Mrs Jurie was meant to crown her.

Instead, she pulled the crown off Mrs De Silva’s head, claiming she could not hold the title as she was divorced. The winner later said she is separated from her husband, not divorced. Jurie was the previous year’s “Mrs Sri Lanka” and had gone on to win the “Mrs World” competition organised by a California-based company. De Silva needed hospital treatment after the incident, seen by stunned spectators in a packed venue as well as a live social media audience. Following the ruckus created at the event, Jurie, and one of her associates were arrested for damaging property at the pageant venue, Nelum Pokuna Theatre, and wounding a contestant. Police said a court hearing was fixed for April 19 and Jurie and her associate who crashed the stage on Sunday were released on bail Thursday. Mrs Sri Lanka is part of the Mrs World beauty pageant series for married women. The winners of each country’s title progress to the overall Mrs World competition.

“There is a rule that prevents women who have already been married and are divorced, so I am taking steps to make the crown go to second place,” Mrs Jurie told the audience. She placed the crown on the runner-up, prompting a tearful Mrs De Silva to walk off stage.