Mrs World has been arrested, and the reason is hilarious.
But Caroline Jurie, 28 who won the crown in 2019 and is the current Mrs World is in police’s hands following a beauty pageant that happened on Sunday in Sri Lanka.
The beauty queen was arrested on charges of assault after she yanked the crown from the new Mrs Sri Lanka’s head while claiming she should not have won the pageant because she was divorced.
Beauty queen Pushpika De Silva, 31, was awarded the 2020/2021 title during the ceremony at Nelum Pokuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre, Colombo, which was also broadcast on national TV on Sunday.
But Caroline Jurie, 28, who won the crown in 2019 and is the current Mrs World, snatched the crown from her head in the bizarre on-stage intervention.
De Silva was reportedly left with head injuries and needed hospital treatment after the incident, seen by stunned spectators in a packed theatre as well as a live social media audience.
The prize has since been returned to Ms De Silva after the event organisers confirmed that she is not a divorcee.
Police confirmed Jurie and another model involved in the on-stage fracas were arrested.
‘We have arrested Jurie and (her associate) Chula Manamendra in connection with a charge of assault and causing damage to Nelum Pokuna (theatre),’ senior police official Ajith Rohana said.
In astonishing footage, Ms Jurie can be seen with a microphone in hand as she tells the audience: ‘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.’
She then strides over to Ms De Silva who is already wearing her crown and sash with a bouquet of flowers in hand.
Ms Jurie grabs at the golden crown which appears to get caught in Ms De Silva’s hair.
It is finally pulled free and Ms Jurie places it on to the head of the runner-up which prompts a tearful Ms De Silva to walk off stage.
The organisers have apologised to Ms De Silva, who won Miss Sri Lanka World in 2011, and she has since had her title restored.
De Silva told reporters outside the Cinnamon Gardens police station in Colombo today that she was ready to drop charges if Jurie made a public apology, but she had refused.
‘I tried to end this out of court, but she has refused,’ De Silva said. ‘I can forgive, but not forget.’
There was no immediate comment from Jurie or her lawyer.
