Police nab most-wanted criminal Sunbaba:

At the crack of dawn...

Sunday Crime by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

The Wadduwa police was tipped off well on time that the most dreaded criminal wanted by them since February was to attend a function at a home at Weragama in the Wadduwa area last Monday. The man was called Sunbaba whom the police were after, since his escape from official custody last February.

Sunbaba was an army deserter wanted by several police stations in the Panadura Police Division in connection with murders, robberies, and extortions that he committed. Sunbaba had escaped from Prison custody while at the Panadura Magistrate's court when he was about to be produced before the Panadura Magistrate last February.

He freed himself by pushing aside the prison officials while he was being escorted to courts that day. Thereafter he jumped from the first floor along with another noted criminal named Podi-Sudha. Since his escape Sunbaba committed several murders and armed robberies in Galle, Welimade and in Kalutara areas.

To apprehend the most wanted dangerous criminal, DIG Western Province (South) K. Pathirane detailed police teams from Panadura and Kalutara police stations. However attempts to capture Sunbaba proved futile.

Meanwhile the police top brass began to suspect that Sunbaba was being helped by crooked police officers to evade arrest. Sunbaba also had the knack of slipping through police drag nets. It also became apparent to police officers that Sunbaba could not be apprehended unless it was done in utmost secrecy.

A covert operation was needed to round him up. The idea was to prevent corrupt policemen from tipping off Sunbaba when an operation was launched. Several such operations in the past failed miserably due to information being leaked out.

No chances taken

Senior Supdt. of Police (SSP) Panadura, Upendra Dharmasena did not want to take chances this time about the covert operation he planned with Chief Inspector Abeysekera on Monday night. Selected policemen were drawn from Wadduwa and Panadura police stations for the operation.

They were told to report to Morenthuduwa Police station that night. Few army personnel too joined the operation that night on a request made by the police. Later that night Chief Inspector Abyesekera visited the Morenthuduwa police station and briefed the men about a house being cordoned off at Weragama to apprehend bandit Sunbaba.

The men were told to stalk the house and wait till dawn before they raided the house. It was at this stage that the policemen realised what their mission was.

SSP Dharmasena and Chief Inspector Abeysekera mapped out their strategy well so that nobody had any prior knowledge about it. The men were told not to barge into the house while the function was on as it would result in a shoot out between the police and Sunbaba's party. After all Sanbaba was a ruthless man armed to the teeth. He wouldn't hesitate to pull the trigger on anyone whom he suspected especially policemen in the vicinity.

According to police, Sunbaba came to the notice of police somewhere in 2003 when he attempted to rob a motor cycle at the Pinwatte police station with another robber. However police fired at the bandits and killed one person while Sunbaba miraculously escaped. He was later arrested at Welimade while attempting to rob a garage.

After his escape from the Panadura Magistrate's court he shot to death a man at the Pinwatte cemetery. He again shot and killed a notorious criminal named Weli-Gamini at Molligoda, in the Wadduwa area.

Thereafter he went into hiding again. A few months later he emerged again, this time at Galle where he robbed a jewellery shop at gun point. The bandit managed to get away with a haul of gold jewellery worth Rs 2.5 million.

Final crackdown

Police also suspect that he shot and killed an illicit hooch dealer named Ajith Fonseka in a boutique at Wadduwa a few months ago. After going into hiding he made his re-appearance in Wadduwa once again. This time he grabbed a T-56 automatic firearm from a policemen riding on the back seat of a motor cycle and escaped.

Meanwhile the operation planned last Sunday got underway. The policemen and the army personnel proceeded to Weragama in the Wadduwa area around 2.30.a.m. and took positions surrounding the house where bandit Sunbaba, Podi Sudha were along with three other bandits. By this time however the bandits had moved in to a hut close by.

Around 5.45 am. at the crack of dawn the policemen noticed a man emerging from the hut. The man apparently on sighting policemen in the vicinity had signalled the robbers in the hut. Within a few minutes the bandits came charging at the police party firing at them.

Police Sergeant 144109 Siriwardena was the first to be hit on his body and he slumped to the ground after receiving a fatal shot. Thereafter police and army fired back killing two robbers. While the bandits and the police exchanged fire, Sunbaba and his side kick Podi -Sudha escaped once again.

Police later recovered the robbed T-56 automatic weapon near the body of a fallen bandit closer to a foothill. There were hand grenades near the body of the bandit found near the hut. Meanwhile the Wadduwa police launched a manhunt countrywide following the escape of two notorious criminals, Sunbaba and Podi-Sudha.