Wanted man held in acid throwing case

by Jayampathy Jayasinghe

The most wanted man in the acid throwing case where an officer from the Auditor General's Department was seriously injured a few years ago was taken in for questioning with nine other underworld men at Haggala Nuwara Eliya after a Police-Army launched combined operation in the area on October 28.

Chief Inspector Gurusinghe of the Kandy Special Investigating Unit (SIU) said the suspect involved in the acid throwing case was wanted by the police for a series of jewellery shop robberies at Sea Street, Pettah, Mawanella and Kegalle. The suspect was not present in Court on a number of occasions after being granted bail by Courts, the Kandy police said.

OIC Crimes Welimada Police, Sub Inspector Abeyratne said the suspect had checked into a hotel with three underworld men at Renndapola in the Welimada area last week. While travelling, the suspect's car had collided with a Tri-shaw in the Welimada area.

However without stopping they had proceeded to their hotel at Renndapola.

Meanwhile, the tri-shaw driver along with a few others had followed them to the hotel. When the tri-shaw driver demanded damages to his vehicle, a heated argument had ensued between them.

At this stage the suspect had fired three shots at the tri-shaw and escaped in their vehicle. A police party from the Welimada police had immediately followed-their vehicle along the Haggala Nuwara Eliya road. The suspect's vehicle had gone off the road and toppled in the Haggala area.

The suspect had abandoned the vehicle and fled into the Haggala jungle with others.

On the following day a combined operation was launched by the Police and the Army had taken in for questioning nine suspects in the jungle. SSP Bandarawela, Tennyson Gunatilleke has directed OIC Welimada, Chief Inspector Ratnayake Bandara to conduct further investigations.