Rathgama PS Chairman's killing:

Victim linked to crimes - Hikkaduwa police

by Jaliya Wijeyekoon

The investigation into the killing of the Rathgama Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman, Manoj Mendis, has taken a fresh turn with the main suspect, known as Podi Lassie,fleeing the area fearing arrest.

The police are on the lookout for the key suspect, a resident of Thelwatta in the Galle District.

Police investigations have disclosed close links between the underworld and the murdered politician whose alleged involvement in a series of crimes were under investigation, local police told the Sunday Observer.

The cold-blooded murder was reported from Hikkaduwa, the hot bed of crime in the Southern Sri Lankan coastal belt last Monday. The victim was the all -powerful chairman of Rathgama Pradeshiya Sabha who had been actively involved in local politics since 2007. He was appointed Vice Chairman of the Rathgama Pradeshiya Sabha in 2007 having polled over 7000 votes and at the last LG Polls held in 2011 he had topped the list with over 15,000 preferential votes and appointed Chairman.

According to police information, it is proved beyond doubt that the victim was involved in a number or crimes such as murders, abductions, rapes, extortions robberies and forcible acquisition of property belonging to the public during the last number of years because of the political clout he wielded.

He had been in remand custody on several occasions owing to the number of crimes alleged to have been committed by him. there were many cases still pending but the people in the area claim that he had been acting as a local 'Robinhood' and that's how he became popular among the public in the area.

Police investigations revealed that he had been closely working with underworld gangsters.

On this fateful day, Manoj Mendis came to know of a conflict between two groups known to him and had gone there to settle it. He had 'ordered' them to see him in the evening at the Hotel Lions Paradise.

Chairman Manoj Mendis was in the habit of visiting the Lions Paradise hotel every Monday evening to enjoy disco dancing.

He had arrived there with two of his close cronies - R. Susantha and Sanku around 10.00 p.m. and had been relaxing. A large number of foreigners and 20-25 local youth had been on the floor dancing enjoying themselves.

According to the police spokesman, a gang of unidentified persons apparently well known to Manoj Mendis had come there around 11.00 p.m. and had spoken to Mendis and accompanied him from the dance floor and shot him at close range on his chest and head with a 9 mm pistol.

They also had shot at the two accomplices who were with him at the time seriously wounding them and fled the scene immediately. Though there had been a considerable number of guests at the time nobody had dared to give evidence over the crime.

Manoj Mendis had succumbed to injuries by the time he was rushed to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital.

The other two suffered critical injuries. The condition of one of them, Saku was critical and he had undergone surgery at the intensive care unit. Hikkaduwa police are conducting investigations and recorded a statement from one of the injured accomplices of the chairman. Police believe that they could crack down on the culprits soon.

The Hikkaduwa police crime officers detected two used bullets fired from the 9 mm revolver which they believe to be the murder weapon.

Ronnie of the Galle police Kennel who was brought sniffed a cap found at the scene and then trotted to a parapet wall and jumped over it to the adjoining land.

The dog detected a blood stain on the ground. Ronnie then walked up to Galle Road. It was unable to trace anything further. The police suspect that the gunman had escaped in a vehicle at the point where Ronnie stopped.

Galle Additional Magistrate Kesara Samaradivakara inspected the location of the crime.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said investigation teams were receiving valuable information from the injured who revealed the name of the alleged assailant who is a resident of Thelwatte in Galle.

Manoj Mendis’ funeral is scheduled to be held today. A large crowd had already paid their last respects to Manoj Mendis at his Hikkaduwa residence including political stalwarts of the Southern Province.