Author name: Tharindu Withanage

Three suspects wanted in connection with several murders in Sri Lanka were recently taken into custody by Dubai Police in Dubai as per the international red notices issued at the request of the Sri Lanka Police. A team of officers from the Criminal Investigation Department brought the three suspects to Sri Lanka by air from Dubai on 07.02.2025. Steps have been taken to hand over the three suspects to the officers of the Western Province (South) Crime Division, Akuressa and Beliatta police stations for further investigations. Details of the suspects – 01 Name – Ranmuni Mahesh Hemantha Silva Age – 42 years Address – Puwakgaha Watta, Makanda, Uragasmanhandiya • A suspect wanted for the crime of shooting and killing five individuals travelling in a Defender vehicle in the Kahawatta area on the Beliatta Walasmulla road in the Beliatta Police Area on 22.01.2024 and an open warrant had been issued against him by the Magistrate’s Court, Tangalle.   02.  Name – Kandangamadeniye Gedara Pradeep Sandaruwan alias Chandana   Age – 40 years Address – Sri Anandarama Mawatha, Kolonnawa • Shooting and killing a person with a firearm in the Wellampitiya Police Area on 30.06.2021 • Attempted murder by shooting and injuring a person with a firearm in Wellampitiya Police Area on 31.01.2022. • Assaulting a person and causing damage to property in the house in Wellampitiya Police Area on 15.02.2023. • Attempted murder by shooting with a firearm in Wellampitiya Police Area on 05.06.2023. • A suspect wanted in connection with the attempted murder by shooting and injuring a person with a firearm in Wellampitiya Police Area on 18.06.2023 and an open warrant had been issued by the Aluthkade No. 02 Magistrate’s Court.   03. Name – Nadakandage Upali alias Rotumba Upali Age – 39 years Address – Puwakwatta, Denkandaliya • He is a suspect in connection with an incident of shooting and killing in Mawarala Police Area on 16.04.2008 and a case is being hearing in the Magistrate’s Court, Matara. • He is a suspect wanted in connection with the murder of a person by hacking him to death in Akuressa Police Area on 01.10.2008 and an open warrant has been issued by the Hon. High Court, Matara. • A case is pending in the High Court, Matara regarding the rape of a girl aged 15 years and 03 months after abducted from legal custody in Urubokka Police Area.  

Two suspects in connection with the murder of an individual and injuring of two others on 17.01.2025 in Horagoda road, Moragala Junction, Eheliyagoda by using sharp weapons, were arrested by the Eheliyagoda Police Station on 05.02. 2025. The suspects are in the age of 24 and 33 and are residents of Eheliyagoda area. Another suspect in connection to a triple homicide which was reported on 30.01.2025 from Hiniduma area was also arrested on 03.02.2025 in Hiniduma area by the Galle Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau. The 47 year old suspect is a resident of Dangedara in Galle. The said suspect was arrested on the allegation of aiding, abetting and conspiring to commit the said murders by assisting the gunman to reach the place where he was accommodated in Mahabodhiwatta area in Hiniduma.  

A team of officers of the Jaffna Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau conducted a raid on the morning of 05.02.2025 at the Mandithtale Island in the Gurunagar Lagoon in the Jaffna Police Area and have arrested two suspects for possessing and transporting 100 kilograms and 270 grams of Kerala cannabis and presented them to the Jaffna Police Station. The 24 and 27-year-old apprehended suspects are residents of the Jaffna area.  

The gunman, who was suspected of killing “Manna Kanna” following a shooting on 19.11.2022 at the Grandpass Police area and of killing a person named Ravindran Theepan following a shooting on 18.01.2023 in the 6th Lane of the Kotahena Police area, was arrested on the afternoon of 04.02.2025 by raiding a house in the Mattakkuliya area upon the disclosure of information by the Colombo Crime Division. During the interrogation, it has been revealed that he is the gunman who committed the above crime, and officers have also been able to find a live hand grenade during the inspection of the house. The 35-year-old suspect is a resident of the Ihala Bomiriya, Kaduwela area. Further, it was also revealed during the interrogation that these murders were carried out by him upon the instructions of a member of an organized crime gang and a drug trafficker living abroad.Further investigations are to be carried out, detaining the suspect after producing him to the court.

A person, in possession of 15 grams of the narcotic Ice, who remained in the Attidiya Wewa Road area of the Mt. Lavinia Police Division, was arrested by officers of the Mt. Lavinia Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau on 30.01.2025.  Investigation officers of the Mt. Lavinia Police Station who conducted further investigations into the suspect have uncovered that he is the motorcyclist involved in three shooting incidents reported recently. Accordingly, this 27-year-old suspect was directly involved in the crimes of • Shooting and committing homicide within the Dehiwala Police Area on 15.09.2024 • Shooting and committing homicide within the Mt. Lavinia Police Area on 13.11.2024 • Shooting and committing double homicide within Mt. Lavinia Police Area on 07.01.2025 Furthermore, it has been revealed through the investigations conducted so far that this suspect has obtained weapons and motorcycles through various individuals to commit crimes having led by an organized criminal and drug trafficker who remains abroad at present, and that all these murders have been committed due to conflicts occurred between drug traffickers.   Measures are to be taken to arrest other suspects who abetted the above suspect, and to conduct further investigations having obtained detention orders after producing the suspect before the court.   

A 52-year-old individual has been arrested by the officers of theHomicide and Organized Crime Investigation Division of the CriminalInvestigation Department while staying in a house in Galahitiya of Kataragamafor keeping possession of 110 live ammunitions used for T-56 firearms and apistol-type firearm to which those ammunitions can be loaded.  Based on the information uncovered, the officers of the Organized Crime Investigation Division conducted a raid in the morning of 31-01-2025 and arrest the suspect from a house in Galahitiya,  The suspect and the seized weapon and ammunition together with a mobile phone were submitted to the Police Station Kataragama for further investigation.