Mrs World arrested for assaulting Mrs Sri Lanka

Colombo police on Thursday arrested the current "Mrs World" on charges of assault over an on-stage fracas in which she pulled the crown off the head of the new "Mrs Sri Lanka". Caroline Jurie yanked the crown off Pushpika de Silva minutes after she was declared "Mrs Sri Lanka 2020" on  Sunday. 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. De Silva told reporters in Colombo Thursday that she was ready to drop the charges if Jurie made a public apology, but she had refused. 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. Jurie has also been accused by organisers of bringing disrepute to the event.

Towards the end of Sunday's ceremony, Jurie had claimed that de Silva was divorced and therefore ineligible for the prize. Her surprise announcement sparked unruly scenes minutes after the chief guest, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa's wife Shiranthi, had left the theatre.To qualify for the title, contestants must be married. De Silva is estranged from her husband, but they are still legally married. Social media calls have been mounting to strip Jurie of her "Mrs World" title, with one meme calling for her to be rebranded as "Mrs Under World".