Kotugoda criminals still at large

The two brothers who lived at a housing complex in Kotugoda Udammita in the Kuruswatta area in Ja-Ela was a law unto themselves which drew the wrath of other young people who lived in the same village.

The natives of Udammita especially the young men were terribly scared of them as they used to throw their weight around in the village and intimidated those who crossed their path. Eranda Silva and Prabath Silva were related to each other.

They had been involved in criminal activity such as selling Ganja and heroin in the past, police said.

Several years ago Eranda Silva was involved in the murder of a bakery worker and the matter is still pending in courts. He was also involved in the killing of an old man a few years ago.

A gang led by Eranda Silva had trespassed into the old man’s home in pursuit of his granddaughter and when the old man attempted to rescue his granddaughter from being abducted, Eranada Silva beat him mercilessly and left the home.

The old man later died as a result of the blows he sustained. According to the autopsy report, the death was a result of injuries that he sustained from the assault.

However, things were generally quiet at Kotugoda, Udammita on January 1 following the new year day celebrations on the previous night. Few people were seen on roads as most of them spent a quiet evening at their homes.

Around 6.30 pm. three persons armed with swords and knives broke in to the housing complex at Kuruswatta and found Eranga Silva (25) and Prabath Silva (28) at their home compound adjoining the boutique owned by Eranga’s father.

The gang swung into action the moment they spotted Eranga and Prabath. They cut them with swords and knives inflicting severe injuries on them.

Having accomplished their brutal task the gang fled from the scene and went into hiding creating a panic situation at the housing complex.

The gang even abandoned the three motor cycles on which they travelled to the spot. A few minutes later several neighbours flocked to the scene after the gang fled from the home and saw the two brothers lying in a pool of blood on the floor. While being rushed to the Seeduwa Hospital, the injured succumbed to their injuries. Finally, when OIC Ja-Ela Police Station, Chief Inspector Chandimal Wijesinghe and OIC Crimes, Inspector Ranasinghe came to know of the double murder they rushed to the scene of crime along with the Chief Magistrate of Negombo E.M.N.G. Amarasinghe who held the Magisterial inquiry.

The Magistrate directed the police to apprehend the suspects, having recorded evidence from those present.

The Ja-Ela police launched a relentless effort to trace the three suspects following the heinous crime.

While in the course of their investigations police came to know the identity of the suspects who were from the same area and who belonged to a rival gang.

In the past, the two rival gangs had fought bitter battles to dominate the heroin and Ganja trade in the village. Apart from that they were involved in various rackets, police said.

Eranga Silva and Prabath Silva became the arch foes of the rival gang that often crossed swords with them.

Neither of the gang members were gainfully employed and lived on their wits. They committed crime to stay afloat and often ended up at the police station. In fact, the enmity between the gangs came to a boiling point when they were involved in a motorcycle accident, a few weeks ago.

They swore to kill each other and dispersed. A heated argument broke out between two gang members at a cricket match played at their village on December 31. They hurled insults at each other and vowed to kill each other.

Policemen came to know that the three suspects had fled from the village and were hiding elsewhere. In the meantime police were tipped off that one of the suspects were admitted to the Ragama police with cut injuries. The man had sustained multiple injuries following a brawl.

The police team on the trail of the suspects visited the Ragama Hospital and arrested the most wanted man involved in the double murder, in less than a week.

Police also came to know the suspect's brother who lives in Italy used to send him money for his sustenance.

The Police had come to know, that the other two suspects on the run are making a frantic effort to surrender to the police through a lawyer.