Mrs Sri Lanka: Mrs World 'arrested' over bust-up at beauty pageant which saw winner's crown taken off her head

Reigning Mrs World Caroline Jurie has been released on bail after she was arrested in Sri Lanka for allegedly injuring a pageant contestant in an on-stage row.

The winner of the Mrs Sri Lanka pageant, Pushpika De Silva, filed a complaint against Mrs Jurie, according to local media reports.

Just moments after being revealed as the 2021 winner of Mrs Sri Lanka, a pageant for married women, Mrs De Silva faced humiliation as last year's winner, Mrs Jurie, took the mic and announced that the runner-up should take the title instead.

Mrs Jurie claimed that Mrs De Silva was a divorcee and forcibly took the crown from her head and placed it on the head of the first runner up, and named her as the winner.

In a Facebook post after the event Mrs De Silva said she is separated from her husband but not divorced.

She also said that she had received head injuries in the bust-up in the capital Colombo and reportedly needed hospital treatment.

Video showed celebratory music playing in the background throughout the incident.

The prize was returned to her on Tuesday at a news conference, after pageant organisers confirmed she was not a
divorcee. They have also apologised to her.

But Mrs De Silva lodged a police complaint and Mrs Jurie and former model Chula Padmendra were arrested, according to the Press Trust of India (PTI).

The pair have been accused of causing damage to property at the pageant venue, Nelum Pokuna Theatre, and wounding Mrs de Silva.

They were bailed to appear in Colombo Magistrates Court on 19 April.

The winner of the Mrs Sri Lanka contest goes on to compete in the Mrs World contest. Mrs Jurie won that competition in
2020 in Las Vegas.

The official Mrs World Instagram account acknowledged Mrs De Silva's victory in a brief post with her photo on Tuesday.

"A true queen is not a woman who snatches another woman's crown, but a woman who secretly sets another woman's crown!!"