Police News

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.

Officers of the Colombo Central Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau arrested a person under the new flyover at Galeni Passage, Company Street, on 19.12.2025 at around 08.00 pm. Based on information obtained during questioning of the 49-year-old resident of Colombo 02, officers of the Colombo Central Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau arrested two more suspects with the drugs on 22.12.2025. One suspect was arrested at W. Silva Mawatha, Wellawatte, with 114 g of ice. The suspect is a resident of Moratuwa, Moratuwa. The other suspect was arrested in a hotel in the Daluwapitiya area of Kadawatha with 1056 g of cocaine, 1098 g of heroin and 4116 g of ICE. He is a resident of Samagi Mawatha, Kaduwela Road, Rajagiriya. The Colombo Central Division Criminal Investigation Bureau is conducting further investigations to arrest more suspects in this drug network under the direct supervision of the Officer-in-Charge of the Colombo Central Division, Senior Superintendent of Police Mahesh Kumarasinghe.

A group of robbers illegally entered a house in the Bulnewa area of the Galnewa Police Division on the night of 07.12.2025, threatened the husband and wife of the house, who were engaged in business activities, and fled after robbing them of about two hundred million rupees in cash, gold items, and a Prado jeep worth about fifty million seven hundred and sixty-eight hundred and sixty-eight rupees (57,268,000/-). Officers of the Galnewa Police who conducted the investigation arrested six suspects on 14.12.2025. In Kurunegala, Mathawathagama and Wilgamuwa areas, 10 grams of heroin 300 mg, 10 g of ice 250 mg, 04 pairs of gloves used in the crime, 04 sharp knives, a motorcycle, a van and a lorry used in the crime have been seized with them. Five hundred and thirty thousand rupees (5,939,000/-) of the stolen money and many properties obtained from the stolen money have been taken into custody by the investigating officers. The stolen Prado jeep was found abandoned in the Meegalewa area. The six suspects, aged 34, 36, 38, 40, 43 and 48, who are residents of Kurunegala, Nugagolla, Mawathagama, Melsiripura and Kandy, were produced before the Kekirawa Magistrate’s Court on 15.12.2025 and remanded in custody until 18.12.2025 for further investigations. Galnewa Police are conducting further investigations into the suspects and the crime.

A team of officers from the Airport Unit of the Police Narcotics Bureau has been able to arrest a suspect with 21kg and 668g of Kush in a raid conducted in the Convent Road area of ​​the Wattala Police Division on the evening of 14.12.2025. The Police Narcotics Bureau has initiated investigations into the suspect, who is a 34-year-old resident of Colombo 14.

A team of officers from the Ampara Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau has arrested a suspect with two magazines, a T-56 firearm and 45 rounds of ammunition in the Batapola Sadamulla area of Elpitiya Division. The arrest was made on 14.12.2025 based on information received by the Senior DIG in charge of the Eastern Province, Mr. Waruna Jayasundara. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the suspect is a close associate of an organized criminal and that the firearm was kept ready to be used to commit several murders. The suspect, Namal Sevana, 64 years old, a resident of Sadamulla, has been taken into custody at the Batapola Police. Further investigations are underway.