MRS SRI LANKA beauty pageant saw some drama with the winner allegedly suffering head injuries on the stage.
Beauty queen Pushpika De Silva won the title in a ceremony on national TV on Sunday (4). But moments later, the 2019 winner Caroline Jurie seized Mrs De Silva's crown, claiming she can't be the winner because she was divorced.
The crown has been returned to Mrs De Silva, after the organisers confirmed she is not a divorcee.
"We are disappointed," he said, adding: "It was a disgrace how Caroline Jurie behaved on the stage and the Mrs World organisation has already begun an investigation on the matter."
On Sunday night, in a theatre in Colombo, after Mrs De silva was announced the winner. 2019 winner, Jurie took the crown away and cited a pageant rule saying participants should be married and not divorced.
"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.
A video showed her placing the crown on the runner-up head and a tearful Mrs De Silva walking off the stage.
The organisers have apologised to Mrs De Silva, saying she is separated, but not divorced.
In a Facebook post, Mrs De Silva said she went to the hospital to be treated for head injuries that she suffered on stage.
"There are a lot of single mums like me today who are suffering in Sri Lanka," Mrs De Silva told a press conference and added she would take legal action.
"This crown is dedicated to those women, those single mums who are suffering to raise their kids alone."
Police have questioned Mrs Jurie as well as Mr Jayasinghe, about the incident.
Kulsuma Aktergetty images