Sri Lanka Pageant Winner Stripped of Title over Corruption Claim

A Sri Lankan contest for a US beauty pageant was stripped of her title over accusations of corruption, organizers announced on Wednesday.

Pushpika de Silva was prevented from winning the global event after she was crowned "Mrs Sri Lanka" in the capital Colombo.

De Silva said she had failed to win the Mrs World competition in Las Vegas last month because its judges had been unduly influenced.

De Silva's claims had dented "the reputation of Sri Lanka globally", the local organizer said in a statement, adding that she had been stripped of the title and barred from using it for any promotional activities.

In April, De Silva won "Mrs Sri Lanka" but her crown was snatched by Caroline Jurie, the outgoing title holder.

Jurie and another woman are now facing charges for assault and damaging the Colombo pageant venue.

They claimed that de Silva was ineligible for the prize because she was porced. In response, De Silva affirmed that she was legally married, but estranged from her husband.