Police News

On the night of 2026.01.07, a team of officers from the Police Special Task Force Gonahena Camp conducted a raid in the Harannagoda area of ​​the Meetiyagoda Police Division on a tip-off and arrested a suspect with a T56 firearm, a magazine for the same, 16 rounds of T56 ammunition, a cartridge case capable of firing 9mm bullets and 144 grams of heroin and presented him to the Meetiyagoda Police Station. The suspect is a 44-year-old resident of the Meetiyagoda area. After being produced before the Balapitiya Magistrate’s Court on 2026.01.08, he was detained at the Meetiyagoda Police Station until 2026.01.13 and further investigations are underway.

A person who contacted a sales company to purchase a high-power water pressure washer based on an advertisement posted on the Facebook social network has been caught in a money scam when he tried to use the link (web extension) received from the company. About one hundred and eight thousand rupees have been lost and the suspect was arrested by the North Western Provincial Computer Crime Investigation Unit on 07.01.2026 based on a complaint made by the victim to the North Western Provincial Computer Crime Investigation Unit. The suspect is a 22-year-old resident of Ihala Gomugomuwa area. The North Western Provincial Computer Crime Investigation Unit is conducting further investigations into the suspect. “When purchasing a product or service over the Internet, it is advisable to use only websites that are designed to make payment easy. The difficulty of making a payment by clicking on a suspicious web link, as well as granting permission if those websites request access to your device data, is an invitation for another party to seize not only the money in your bank account but also your personal data stored on the device.”

A cache of ammunition suspected to have been buried by the LTTE during the war was found during a search operation conducted in the Sambu Lagoon area of Vakare. A team of officers from the Special Task Force Vakare camp launched the search operation on an order obtained from the Valachchenai Magistrate’s Court. The following ammunition was found during the search operation conducted by a team of officers including the Special Task Force Regional Command (Trincomalee): • Anti-tank RPG rounds: 38 • Chargers used for RPG rounds: 37 • SFG-87 type live hand grenades: 05 This explosives stock is scheduled to be safely destroyed by the Bomb Disposal Unit of the Special Task Force tomorrow (08) in accordance with court orders. The Sri Lanka Police and the Special Task Force are conducting constant investigations to ensure security in the area.   

The Northern Provincial Unit of the Computer Crime Investigation Division, which was investigating a case in which a woman was fraudulently deceived into transferring Rs. 1 million after being falsely informed that she had won a cash prize from the Dialog Mega Wasana draw, arrested one female and one male suspect on 05.01.2026. The 29-year-old female suspect and the male suspect are residents of the Batticaloa area. Public Advisory: If you receive a phone call or SMS requesting your bank account details under the pretext of awarding a prize, and you are subsequently asked to provide the OTP (One-Time Password) sent by your bank to authorize a transaction, be aware that this is not an attempt to offer a reward, but an effort to fraudulently withdraw all the funds from your bank account. Do not fall victim to such remote financial frauds carried out using modern banking technologies. Please ensure that your parents and elderly family members are also informed and remain vigilant.  

Police Constable 82615 Mr. M. Sarath Kumara, who tragically lost his life in a road traffic accident while on duty at a roadblock near the Walawe Ganga Bridge in Ambalantota on the morning of 01 January 2026, has been posthumously promoted to the rank of Police Sergeant. The posthumous promotion was granted by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Priyantha Weerasooriya, in recognition of his dedicated service and ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Late Police Sergeant 82615 Mr. M. Sarath Kumara served the Sri Lanka Police with commitment and honour as a proud public servant, and laid down his life while performing his official responsibilities. May the soul of Police Sergeant Mr. M. Sarath Kumara rest in eternal peace.

With the awareness that thousands of motorists travel home on the final night of the year, the Sri Lanka Police deployed officers along all major roads across the island to protect the public from reckless and intoxicated drivers. In line with this operation, Police Constable 82615 Mr. M. Sarath Kumara, attached to the Ambalantota Police Station, was on duty on New Year’s Eve, conducting vehicle inspections at a roadblock near the Walawe Ganga Bridge in Ambalantota. At approximately 2.30 a.m., the officer reportedly signalled a suspicious vehicle to stop using his flashlight. However, the vehicle failed to slow down, struck the officer in a severe collision, and fled the scene, leaving fellow officers and the public shocked during what should have been a time of celebration. Immediate arrangements were made to transport the injured officer to the Hambantota General Hospital using a 1990 ambulance. Despite urgent medical intervention, hospital authorities confirmed that Police Constable Sarath Kumara succumbed to severe head injuries at around 4.05 a.m. on 01 January 2026. Late Police Constable M. Sarath Kumara, who joined the Sri Lanka Police on 01 February 2009 after completing his training at the Elpitiya Police College, was a father of two. A permanent resident of Sooriyawewa, opposite Weeriyagama School, he had served at several police stations including Hambantota, Mattala, Sooriyawewa, and China Harbor. He was transferred to the Ambalantota Police Station on 31 December 2024. The fleeing vehicle also struck Civil Defence Force Officer 9902 Saman Banda, who was on duty alongside the police officer. He sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment at the Hambantota General Hospital. Police officers who pursued the suspect vehicle later located it concealed inside a house in the Rideegama area of Ambalantota. The suspect driver, identified as a 21-year-old male, was arrested on the same day. Additionally, three other suspects, including a woman, were taken into custody for allegedly assisting him in evading arrest. Upon being produced before the Honourable Court, the suspect driver was remanded until 08 January 2026. The remaining suspects are scheduled to be produced before court today, 02 January 2026.

Four suspects, including the motorcycle rider, the suspect in charge of the firearm, the suspect who transported the firearm and the suspect who provided shelter to the criminals, were arrested by a team of officers of the Mount Lavinia Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau on 03.01.2026 in Kalubowila, Dehiwala Police Division and presented to the Kohuwala Police. The suspects are residents of Dehiwala, aged 25, 28, 33 and 45. The police have revealed during the ongoing investigation that this crime was the result of a conflict between two groups of organized criminals and large-scale drug traffickers. During the raid, 03 revolver-type firearms, 10 09 mm live ammunition, 50 g of heroin, 55 g of ice and 02 motorcycles used in the crime were seized from the suspects. Kohuwala Police are conducting further investigations.

The Police Lifeguard Unit, which performs a service that is not limited to duty, won the National Lifeguard Sports Championship this time again, reflecting the professional skills they have acquired in their professional lives. With this victory, the Police Lifeguard Team has won the overall championship of the National Lifeguard Sports Championship for 14 times to the Sri Lanka Police. The 74th National Lifeguard Sports Championship was held again with the participation of 12 leading lifeguard teams in the country, including the Navy and the Air Force, and witnessed a fierce competition. The tournament was held on 27/12/2025 at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura Swimming Pool and Mount Lavinia Beach in 19 events over two days. We commend the Sri Lanka Police for their tireless efforts in the relief efforts of the victims of Cyclone “Ditwa”, their regular police duties during the festive season, and their unwavering performance in the two days of the competition, and their victory. The Police Water Sports Team is led by the Police Lifeguard Sports Secretary SSP Mr. C.C. Bamunuarachchi, the Coach Chief Inspector P.M.K. Jayawardena, and the Police Lifeguard Sports Manager Women’s Sub-Inspector Mr. J.M. Jayasuriya, under the supervision of the Police Water Sports Chairman DIG Mr. Roshan Wijesinghe and the Sports Division Director SSP Mr. Pinnaduwa.

T-56 firearm I – Grandpass Police – A team of officers from the Grandpass Police, acting on a tip-off, found a T-56 firearm and 27 rounds of ammunition in a bag in an empty area in the Joseph Street area of the Grandpass Police Division on the night of 24.12.2025. During the investigation, the suspect who brought the bag to the location was arrested. The suspect, a resident of Colombo 14, is 67 years old. T-56 Type Firearm II – Ragama Police – A team of officers from the Ragama Police, who inspected a car parked in a deserted area in the Pahalwatta area of the Ragama Police on the night of 23.12.2025, found a T-56 type firearm and two magazines containing 44 rounds of ammunition inside the car. An investigation is underway by the Ragama Police to find the suspects who abandoned the car with the weapon and ammunition. Pistol Weapon – Western Province North Crime Division – According to information provided by officers of the Western Province Gampaha Intelligence Unit, the Western Province North Crime Division has recovered a 9 mm automatic firearm with a hidden magazine, manufactured in a foreign country, in the Weerasinghe Mawatha area of the Piliyandala Police Division on the night of 24.12.2025. Further investigations are underway by the Western Province North Crime Division regarding who brought the weapon to the location.

A former vice-chairman of the Mulleriyawa Pradeshiya Sabha was killed in a shooting incident near the Mulleriyawa Hospital on 02.08.2022 (03 years ago). The Western Province Southern District Crime Division has arrested the suspect who acted as the motorcyclist in the crime on the morning of 25.12.2025 in the Talahena area of the Malabe Police Division. At the time of arrest, the suspect was taken into police custody with 05g of 430mg of ice and a fake foreign passport. It has been revealed that he is 32 years old and a resident of the Talahena area. Further investigation revealed that open warrants have been issued against him for two cases pending before the Colombo High Court. The Western Province Southern District Crime Division is conducting further investigations into the suspect.