Gang of six leader bites mosquito coil

By Ananda Agalakada

Thilake and his sister were a happy brother and sister duo who lived in harmony. They grew up together and Thilake's sister was blooming like a flower. Her almond-shaped eyes were getting larger and her lovely locks were cascading down to her knees. Her olive complexion was the cynosure of all eyes and her parents were on the look-out for a suitor for her.

There was hush-hush every time a suitor came to see his sister. Thilake was watching all this happening around him with a sense of envy. Finally, the parents picked Albert, a smart looking man, as their choice.

The wedding was held with much pomp and pageantry. Thilake was however observing the proceedings with envy. Albert the new son-in-law was not an idle man. He worked hard and carried out his farming activities with enthusiasm.

From humble beginnings, Albert knew how to manage his paddy field and family. It made Thilake jealous of his brother-in-law. He was eyeing his lands and was waiting for an opportunity to grab them by hook or by crook, but he did not succeed.

Life in disarray

Thilake's life was in disarray. He was addicted to liquor and found ways and means of having a ‘drink’ at every opportunity.

His wife was fed up with him because of the harassment she underwent at his hands. He would come home worse for liquor and abuse his wife and children and even try to assault them. She could not bear the torture any more and wanted to divorce him after he set fire to the house in which she and the children were living.

Thilake behaved like an animal shouting and screaming over trivial issues and demanded food which was hard to come by. His wife did whatever she could to keep the wolf from the door. On one occasion, he had locked them up in the house and had thrown a can of petrol to set fire to the house.

Fortuitous circumstances prevented the wife and children from perishing in the fire which gutted their humble abode. His wife thought, “Enough is enough, I am going to divorce this man and carry on with my life”. But she had to stick to him for the sake of her children. So she suffered his insults and continued to live with him. Then, suddenly he turned boisterous and tried to kill her. She was saved in the nick of time by her 15-year-old son.

Jail term

When news got round, Police apprehended Thilake and he had to serve a six month jail term. After serving the prison term, he came out and was watching every single movement of Albert because he was a diligent farmer and went about his work without any hindrance. In a span of three years he had purchased lands and had put them under the plough. All this led to Thilake's jealousy.

Thilake was waiting for an opportunity to kill his brother-in-law. When Albert had gone as usual to the paddy field and was ploughing he received a fatal blow on his head. Thilake however, was not satisfied with killing Albert. He wanted to destroy the whole family and was on his way to kill his sister and her children. When the police wanted to arrest him he escaped into the dense jungle.

The police then threw a dragnet to apprehend the suspect but was not successful. Police had lost track of him but the villagers remained on the alert.

Ten years passed and there was no sign of the suspect.

All of a sudden Sisira Kumara of Tangalle police division received a tip off that Thilake was living in a hut in the Tanamalwila jungle. The OIC of Walasmulla police, Sumith Gunaratne and Crime OIC, SI Wijesekara with a police team rushed to the Tanamalwila jungle and arrested the suspect who was hiding in the hut.

The police also took into custody the bicycle owned by him. The bicycle was smashed by an elephant while he was riding towards the chena from the Tanamalwila town.

Gang

His six companions were also arrested. Thilake and the gang of of six had committed various other crimes. Thilake had been arrested by the Tanamalwila police over another case a few months ago.

However, he had escaped from the police custody.

Later Thilake was taken into custody by forest officers for possessing a weapon.

While he was in their custody, Thilake had fallen ill and they had admitted him to the Badulla General hospital from where he fled.

Police are conducting investigations to ascertain whether Thilake had killed another man in Kataragama. According to police Thilake was involved in many other crimes in many areas in the country.

Thilake swallowed a mosquito coil while in police custody and was admitted to the Walasmulla hospital. Later he died of toxic poisoning.

OIC Sumith Gunarathne of Walasmulla police, Crime OIC SI Wijesekara and a police team are conducting further investigation on the instruction of DIG Chandana Wickramaratne of Southern police division, DIG M. Perera of Hambantota police division and SP Sisirakumara of Tangalla police division.