Author name: Tharindu Withanage

The gunman, who has brutally shot and killed a 19-year-old youth named Nissanka Peiris, a municipal council worker who was cleaning the road near the junction that turns to Sylvester Road in Mount Lavinia Police Area, was taken into custody by the Mount Lavinia Crime Investigation Bureau on the night of 18.05.2025. The Mount Lavinia Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau has carried out continuous investigations into the crime, and accordingly, the rider of the motorcycle used for the crime was arrested on 16.05.2025 in the Makumbura area of the Homagama Police Area. Subsequently, the dismantled motorcycle used for the crime was recovered. Accordingly, after identifying the gunman through further investigations, the investigating officers, who discovered the residence of the gunman, have raided his house in the Kulasewana area of Kottawa and have taken him into custody. Investigating officers have also been able to find the fake number plate used for the motorcycle, fifteen 09mm live ammunition and a locally made live grenade from the gunman’s house. Four suspects, including the gunman and the motorcycle rider, are currently in custody in connection with this crime, and further investigations are underway on them and searching for all the suspects who have aided and abetted the crime.

Investigations have been carried out by the Mount Lavinia Police Station and Mount Lavinia Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau with regard to the assassination of Praveen Nissanka, a 19-year-old youth who worked as a municipal council worker and who was cleaning the road near the junction that turns into Sylvester Road in the Mount Lavinia Police Division while he was shot. Accordingly, the motorcycle rider who came to commit the crime was arrested by officers of the Mount Lavinia Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau on 16.05.2025 in the Makumbura area of the Homagama Police Division. The suspect is a 45-year-old resident of Makumbura, Pannipitiya. Police have discovered parts of the motorcycle and two fake number plates that the suspects are believed to have used to commit the crime, buried behind the suspect’s house. The Mount Lavinia Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau and the Mount Lavinia Police are continuing their investigations to find the suspects.  

Police Constable 72405 Amila Lakmal –Police officer who lost his life due to a road accident while performing duties One of the two police constables attached to the Traffic Branch of Chilaw Division, succumbed to his injuries upon hospitalization after meeting with an accident while performing traffic duties near the Marawila Hospital at around 12.30 a.m on 13.05.2025. The accident has taken place when a car driven by a 22-year-old lady collided with a three-wheeler being inspected by the two traffic officers, causing injuries to the two traffic officers and the three-wheeler driver as a result of being pushed forward about 20 meters before hitting an electric pole. The suspect and her grandmother, who were travelling in the car, also sustained minor injuries and they were also admitted to the Marawila Hospital along with the other three casualties. It has been revealed through preliminary investigations that the driver was not under the influence of liqour and that the accident had been caused due to reckless and careless driving. The demised police officer, Police Constable 72405 Amila Lakmal Priyadarshana, was married and a 42-year-old resident of Horathapola in Kuliyapitiya Police Area with a service period of 17 years. The body has been handed over to the relatives after the post-mortem examination. The Police Station Marawila is conducting further investigations into the accident.

15 motorcycles emitting disruptive noise into the environment and 04 unregistered high capacity motorcycles with fake number plates were arrested by the officers of the Police Station Bandaragama at the Kidella Road Block on 12.05.2025 and the motorcyclists were released on bail after informing to appear before the Court.  On that day, these motorcyclists had ridden their motorcycles by the Police Station Bandaragama towards Kesbewa, producing a loud noise, causing inconvenience to the general public in the vicinity. During the inspection conducted by the officers of the Police Station Bandaragama, it was revealed that 04 of them were high capacity motorcycles with fake number plates.  The 21, 22, 22, and 23-year-old four motorcyclists are residents of Malabe, Piliyandala, Gonapola, and Bandaragama areas.

A special committee has been appointed by the Acting Inspector General of Police, Priyantha Weerasooriya to conduct a special investigation into the fatal bus accident that occurred in Garandiella of Kotmale Police Area on the early hours of 11.05.2025. Senior DIG Ajith Rohana has been appointed as the head of the committee and four senior police officers are also included in the committee. This committee is to conduct investigations covering several basic aspects that led to this accident and it has been informed by the Acting IGP to submit proposals on measures that can be taken by the Sri Lanka Police to prevent such accidents in future.

 A team of officers of the Tangalle Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau having conducted a raid in the Yala National Park area near the 48th milepost on the Sellakataragama – Buttala road on the morning of 12.05.2025, arrested a person who was in possession of 82 kilograms and 254 grams of cannabis and produced him to the Police Station Kataragama. The suspect is a 48-year-old resident of the Kataragama area. The Police Station Kataragama is conducting further investigations into the suspect and the stash of cannabis. 

Officers of the Police Narcotics Bureau arrested two suspects along with 02 kilograms and 02 grams of heroin, having conducted a raid in the Gonapala area of the Kahathuduwa Police Area on 12.05.2025.  They are 39 and 46-year-old residents of Gonapala and Kumbukawatta areas. 

A person in possession of 507g of heroin and 501g of narcotic Ice was arrested by the officers of Anuradhapura police station in the afternoon of 10.05.2025 at the Wanni Thammannawa area.  The 30-year-old suspect was a resident of Wannikulam in Anuradhapura. Further investigations regarding the suspect have been carried out by Anuradhapura police station.