Hot-blooded Don Juan in police net

By Ananda Agalakada

Death evokes sadness, not joy. However, in the case of Sunil Wimalaweera it was the other way around. The death of Sunil who hails from Galenbindunuweva, a small village in the North Central Province was an event for rejoice for the villagers. When news broke out about Sunil's death the villagers lit fire crackers and prepared milk rice to show their pleasure and relief.

Sunil Wimalaweera, 50, was born in Hingurakgoda. He could not study beyond grade nine as he was from a poor family and had to work at an early age to support the family. After leaving school he joined a carpentry workshop as an assistant. It did not take long for Sunil to become a skilled carpenter. He was also handsome and well-built.

His childhood was spent among adults, mostly rowdies and some hardcore criminals. He did not have anyone to advise him on the ways of life. He was also adept at martial arts. There was no one else in that area who could match his physique or his skills at fighting. He towered among most people in the village as he was more than six feet tall.

Local thug

Coupled with his rough upbringing and physical and fighting prowess, Sunil became the local thug whom the villagers feared. His association with fellows in crime during his young days led him to a path of thuggery, intimidation and robbery.

He enjoyed his newly acquired powers with a bunch of rogues following and virtually worshipping him. He spent a luxurious life with the wealth he accumulated through fraud and force. He was also fond of women and associated many women of ill-fame.

Kirimenika was a poor woman and she resided at Deulankadawela in Hingurakgoda. She married Kumarasinghe who was a farmer. He did farming in the area. Kumarasinghe strived to fulfil his duty by his wife and children in the best possible manner. His wife was an very attractive woman.

One day, Sunil Wimalaweera's eyes fell on Kirimenike who was going to the temple. Sunil was impressed and later inquired from his friends about the woman he had seen.

He began visiting Kumarasinghe's family and tried to build a friendship. The visits grew frequent and also he showered them with gifts. After sometime, he was able to realise his ulterior motive and was able to coerce Kirimenika into an illicit love affair. He used to visit Kirimenika at her home when her husband was away.

Rumours started spreading in the village and it did not take long for these to fall on the ears of Kumarasinghe who confronted his wife and told her in no uncertain terms that if there really was such an affair to stop it immediately. He urged his wife to think about the children's well-being more than anything else.

However, Kirimenika by the time had fallen for the charms of Sunil, who was a handsome man and was not willing to part ways with her new found lover.

The illicit affair went on and Kumarasinghe's frustration and anger grew by the day. The quarrels between the couple grew in frequency. So, Kirimenika one day complained to her lover about her problems with her husband. Sunil was not a man of patience and hearing about the beatings that Kirimenika was subjected to by her husband his anger boiled over. Sunil did not think twice and he stabbed and killed Kumarasinghe in front of Kirimenika one day.

After killing Kumarasinghe, Sunil was in hiding and absconded from the police. He fled to another area and settled down in Palugasweva in Habarana. Sunil pretended to be a wealthy man spending money which he got by engaging in major robberies to good effect at his new abode. He tried to be friendly with his new neighbours. If any villager was faced with a problem he was the first to go to their assistance. These endeavours made him a popular figure in the area before long.

Bright future

However, Sunil could not keep his lust for women at bay. He met another attractive married woman named Karunawathi and soon fell for her charms.

She was the wife of Appuhamy, a villager from Habarana. Appuhamy always strived to protect his wife and children. He dreamed of a bright future for his children. Karunawathi obeyed her husband and she fulfilled what she has to do for her children and husband.

Karunawathi met Sunil Wimalaweera while she was going to the fair in Habarana. He was not a stranger in the area and had heard good news about him. It did not take long for a relationship to develop.

It is not easy to keep secrets in small villages and ultimately Appuhamy came to know about his wife's affair. Upon hearing this Appuhamy who was a timid man begged of his wife to end the affair. Now Appuhamy too fell victim to Sunil and he was killed.

This time around Sunil fled to Galenbindunuwewa, which was another sleepy village,in the Polonnaruwa district. It was a farming village and most villagers were engaged in cultivation. The area was famous for paddy and chena cultivation.

It did not take long for the Romeo to engage in another illicit relationship. This time it was with Sita Kumari, a beautiful village lass. The sparkle in her eyes mesmerised any onlooker and her lovely locks cascaded down to her knees. Her dark complexion attracted all and sundry and she could not walk anywhere without drawing the attention of the village.

However, Sunil had coerced Sita into a relationship without much effort. This time around the lass was not married and Sunil promised her parents to marry their daughter in the near future. The parents were unaware that Sunil was a killer. They lived with the newly married couple.

Sunil had two children from Sita Kumari. However, Sunil was a tormentor. He never ceased his harassment of the poor innocent woman and he was involved with the underworld. Stealing and killing were hobbies for him and thus he was involved in many crimes. Kumari was afraid to reveal any of these secrets to her parents because they would lodge complaints with the police against her husband and so see bore all the harassment without giving an inkling of an idea to her parents.

It was in this backdrop that Sunil was arrested by the police and was remanded regarding some offences and was bailed out in a year. After he was released he got into a huge quarrel with his wife. Now, Sita Kumari’s brother and his son, Don Eranda Niroshan were their neighbours.

On that fateful day, Niroshan rushed to Sita’s house after hearing her shouts. Sunil had assaulted Sita with a club and she was screaming in agony.

Niroshan could not control his anger and he assaulted Sunil on the head with an iron bar which he found in Sita’s house. Sunil died on the spot, because the iron bar had struck him at a crucial spot on the head. He immediately fell and blood was spurting all over.

There was no chance of taking him to hospital. Niroshan was taken into custody by the Galenbindunuweva police. The OIC of Galenbindunuwewa police IP K.M.S. Karunathissa , Crime OIC SI B.M. Abeyratne and a police team are conducting investigations.