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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| 'Longest saree' wedding in Sri Lanka investigated over use of children | 'Longest saree' wedding in Sri Lanka investigated over use of children |
| (12 days later) | |
| A Sri Lankan couple are under investigation for deploying hundreds of schoolchildren to carry the train of the bride’s saree during a wedding ceremony. | A Sri Lankan couple are under investigation for deploying hundreds of schoolchildren to carry the train of the bride’s saree during a wedding ceremony. |
| About 250 students from a state-owned school carried the bride’s two-mile train as she and the groom walked down a main road in the central district of Kandy on Thursday, local media reported. Another 100 students served as flower girls at the wedding. | About 250 students from a state-owned school carried the bride’s two-mile train as she and the groom walked down a main road in the central district of Kandy on Thursday, local media reported. Another 100 students served as flower girls at the wedding. |
| The pupils were from a school named after the provincial chief minister Sarath Ekanayaka, who was a special guest at the wedding, according to media reports, which also said the saree was the longest ever worn by a bride in Sri Lanka. | The pupils were from a school named after the provincial chief minister Sarath Ekanayaka, who was a special guest at the wedding, according to media reports, which also said the saree was the longest ever worn by a bride in Sri Lanka. |
| The National Child Protection Authority said it was investigating the incident. | The National Child Protection Authority said it was investigating the incident. |
| “We have started an investigation,” said the NCPA chairman, Marini de Livera. “We are going all out because we don’t want this to become a trend.” | “We have started an investigation,” said the NCPA chairman, Marini de Livera. “We are going all out because we don’t want this to become a trend.” |
| De Livera said deploying students for such ceremonies during school hours was against the law, and violators could face up to 10 years in prison. | De Livera said deploying students for such ceremonies during school hours was against the law, and violators could face up to 10 years in prison. |
| “What they [the wedding party] did is a violation of child rights,” de Livera said. “Depriving children of education, risking their security and harming their dignity are criminal offences.” | “What they [the wedding party] did is a violation of child rights,” de Livera said. “Depriving children of education, risking their security and harming their dignity are criminal offences.” |