Tragedy at Diyawanna Oya

This is the most heinous crime committed in the country for the first time by three deaf and dumb young persons because of their passion for motor racing.

Piyal Fernando (42) was a persevering and a hard working man who was employed in an office of a garment factory situated in Kelaniya. He was devoted to his job and through hard work rose to the position of a stores Manager.

Fernando had little time to relax after work. He was a married man. But being a nature lover he spent time relaxing in parks at the sea shore and near lakes to get rid of his mental fatigue. This became a routine affair for Fernando. He often visited Diyawanna-Oya at Sri Jayawardenapura in the evenings and spent a great deal of time relaxing near a bathing spot.

Diyawanna Oya was a popular bathing spot frequented by many young people. It was on the 5th October when a horrible thing happened to him. It was a bright evening with no sings of rain.

The time was around 6.30 p.m when Fernando pulled up in his car along side the bathing spot when it was getting dark. He remained inside the car while gazing in the direction of the bathing spot.

There were several young men hanging around the place chatting nonchalantly. Three young men who were near the bathing spot noticed Fernando gazing at them. The men approached him. Through sign language they indicated their desire to befriend him.

A little later Fernando alighted from his car and joined the young men. He accompanied them along a lonely path close to Diyawanna-Oya. By now the area was in pitch darkness and few people were seen around the place. Only the sounds of soft splashes in the water could be heard occasionally.

The four men strode along the path for a while and came near a tree where they all squatted for a while. Then all of a sudden the three young men using brute force held Fernando tightly in their arms.

While doing so one man repeatedly stabbed him with a knife while another slashed his throat with a knife. Fernando died instantaneously after his neck was severed and slumped to the ground. The men hurriedly emptied the contents of his trouser and his wallet including credit cards etc, and dumped the body into the lake.

After committing the most gruesome murder the three suspects drove off in Fernando's car into the silent night. The car was a luxury model worth more than Rs 2 million, according to Welikade police.

Acting on a tip off, the Welikade police found the body of a man floating in the Diyawanna-oya on the following morning. Later they identified the body as of Piyal Fernando, the stores manager of a garment factory. There were 19 stab wounds in the body with a slashed neck.

The discovery of body in the Diyawanna-Oya, especially in the high security zone, adjacent to the Parliament, sent ripples among high ranking police officers. They ordered an immediate investigation and the Welikade police launched a man hunt for the killers.

OIC Welikade Police station, Chief Inspector Sagara Liyanage, Inspector Nakandala and Sub Inspector Seneviratne began investigating the mystery shrouding the murder of Piyal Fernando. They visited several garages in the western province to know whether the stolen car was brought there for any tinkering purposes.

In the meantime the three deaf and dump suspects from Modera, Mattakkuliya and Wattala areas had removed the stolen car to Mabola-Wattala. According to informants the car was sighted at several places like Katunayake and the Wennappuwa area during the past few weeks.

Last week the Welikade police was tipped off that the stolen car was at the BMICH car park. The three suspects along with two other women had arrived at the BMICH to visit a fair.

Acting on the information, the Welikade police arrived at the BMICH on October 28th and took in for questioning the three suspects in connection with the murder of Piyal Fernando. While being interrogated at the Welikade police the suspects admitted having killed Piyal Fernando, ruthlessly to steal his car.

Police had also found the photograph of the deceased Piyal Fernando, his Credit Cards and other documents in the possession of the suspects. Welikade Police told the Sunday Observer that they sought assistance from the Deaf and Dumb school at Ratmalama to interpret the sign languages of the three suspects and to record their statements. Several other items belonging to Piyal Fernando were also recovered from a house of a suspect.

While the suspects were being questioned, police learnt that they had stolen the luxury vehicle to participate in motor races. They told police that on previous occasions they had won prizes participating in motor races.

In the course of the investigations, Police further learnt that the suspects had plotted to assassinate another wealthy businessman known to them with the idea of steeling his luxury Mini Cooper car.

They also learnt that the suspect had stolen the documents of the Mini Cooprer car from his residence. The businessman was a motorist belonging to a well known NGO. He had helped the suspects to become motor racing drivers. He miraculously escaped death owing to his lucky Mini Cooper Car which was in a garage in Kandy for repairs.

The police team that arrested the suspects were OIC Welikade Police Station, Chief Inspector Sagara Liyanage, Inspector Nakandala , Sub -Inspector Seneviratne. Woman Sub Inspector Wasunda, PC, 13736 Dharmasena, PC, 35406 Pathirana, PC, 56810 Nandasena, WPC 2673 Kumari.

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