A game of Booruwa was his doom

by Ananda Agalakada

Niroshana and Sisira spent their leisure time playing booruwa (cards). They were good friends and were always seen together. One would not do anything without informing the other. Niroshan was a well-built handsome lad, but he had a weakness for gambling. His favourite pastime was cards. He was so adept at it that he could read any card in the pack even with his eyes closed.

Niroshana resided in Kamburugamuwa. He was the owner of a hotel in the area but still found time to engage in his favourite pastime. Sisira was his best friend. However with time, disputes and differences arose between the two. After some time the two friends who were once inseparable, parted ways.

Sisira was an arrogant person and harboured a grudge with his one-time friend. Sisira wanted to break-even with him.

He was plotting and planning as to how he could get rid of Niroshan once and for all.

His modus operandi was to organise a card session and invite his friend because he was well aware of Niroshan's love to play a game of 'Booruwa '.

On a day close to the Sinhala and Hindu New Year, a card session was arranged in Devinuwara, which was some miles off Kamburugamuwa.

Niroshan was invited by Sisira for a game of cards at this session. Niroshan was quite taken aback at this invitation.

Niroshan was always wanting to be Sisira's friend like in old times and was overjoyed with the invitation. Niroshan's face was flushed and he was excited because he could not believe that Sisira had invited him for a booruwa session and that it would be back to being old chums and good times would dawn again. He just could not wait for the 'big' day to dawn.

The day came and on that day Niroshan was wondering how he should attire himself. He was bothered even about the clothes he was going to wear because he wanted to please his old friend Sisira. He chose a dark pair of trousers and matched it with a lighter coloured shirt.

He wore his trousers and the shirt and also put his belt on. Looking at the mirror he felt that the clothes were not matching and he changed to another set of clothes and took immense trouble to comb his hair and groom himself. This was rather unusual for Sisira and his home folk were wondering what the occasion was which had called for so much of attention on Niroshan's part. Then he contacted another friend who had a three wheeler and left with him to the venue.

The card session was arranged on the night before the Sinhala and Hindu New year.

This did not deter Niroshan from going to the party because he thought it was going to be a good sign for the new year as he thought he was going to come to terms with his former friend.

And go he did. Niroshan ran towards Sisira and hugged him like he had never seen him before, all in the name of friendship, little realising that he was doomed.

At the cards venue, chairs were arranged around a table and some of the players had already taken their seats and were carrying on casual conversations with each other. Anyway the Booruwa session commenced a little later and as usual there was laughter and light banter as the games progressed. 

Sounds of Aasia for ace, Hera for King, poro for queen and Booruwa for Jack reverberated in the room.

Then it was "Dahaya, Namaya, ata, Hatha, Haya, Paha, Hathara, Thuna, Deka and eka” were also doing the rounds. Later after a few games Niroshan decided to cease playing because he wanted to return home before the Nonagathay for the Sinhala New Year as his home folk would be waiting for him. After saying his goodbyes to all his friends he left the place.

But alas, Niroshan did not return home as was expected and he could not be found anywhere the next day. A search party went looking for him all around the area but to no avail. Niroshan's family members did not know his whereabouts. They did not receive any news about him and there was panic all round. The relatives then decided that they would locate the friend who drove Niroshan to the party and find out from him what had become of Niroshan. He gave them the bad news that when Niroshan left the party a man held Niroshan by the collar and dragged him away.

After the information they received, the relatives rushed to the police station in Gandara and lodged a complaint about Niroshan's disappearance. The Gandara police began investigations promptly.

The Gandara police apprehended a person on suspicion after investigations and he was produced the Matara Magistrates court but the suspect was bailed out. Since then they handed over the case to the CID.

It was not long after that the CID was able to interrogate another suspect and under intense interrogation he spilled the beans.

The three wheeler driver who accompanied Niroshan was the new suspect. The suspect showed the officers where the shooting took place.

He also showed them where the body was burnt and where the remains were thrown.

According to police investigations it was revealed that while two people held Niroshan's hands the suspect came towards him and shot him with a firearm at point blank range. Niroshan died on the spot.

The body had been carefully disposed of erasing every sign of suspicion from the scene of the crime. The police found two plastic bags in which the remains were hidden.

The weapon used in the crime was also found in the bag. Gandara police are conducting further investigations to arrest the other suspects involved in the crime.