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No sign of underworld killings ending soon
View(s):By Lasantha Niroshana
The Kahawatta victim’s mother said her sons were concerned about the spread of the drug menace in their village
A shooting incident in Kandana in broad daylight, also was a reminder that bystanders too, could be victims and gangsters had no fear of police being nearby.
So far this year, more than 35 people have been shot dead in more than 60 shooting incidents.
Last Monday, around 9.30 p.m, armed men had arrived at a residence in Hallinda, Palansuriyagama, off Kahawatta claiming they were from the police. They had questioned one of the youth about having cannabis. Despite denials the youth had been handcuffed and taken away along with another friend.
The twin-brother of the youth had escaped into a nearby tea plantation.
Renuka Manatunga, the mother, had pleaded with the armed men and asked where they were being taken, only to be told that they will be taken to the police station. “I believed them, as they were carrying weapons.”
The boy who escaped alerted his father about the incident. The father had rushed to the Kahawatta Police station, but the son and his friend had not been brought in. He then rushed to the near by army camp and made inquiries as well, but was told no such persons were arrested.
Around 11 p.m he received information that a person’s body has been located in Andana, Kahawatta.
He rushed to the scene and found that it was his son Imantha Suranjana, 22.
It was revealed that the victim and his friend had been ordered to kneel and Mr Suranjana had been shot in the head, while the other had been spared.
According to the victim’s mother, her sons have voiced concerns about the spread of the drug menace in their village and had entered into an argument with the group involved in selling drugs.
She said that the Kahawatta police had been altered about the drug issue, but the police had not acted.
The family claimed it was a close relative living in Dubai who is a suspect in the murder, as some of his associates had been arrested recently and they had suspected that the two brothers had provided information to the police.
The victim himself had wanted to join the police, but he was reportedly not considered as one his relatives was associated with drug trafficking.
Police had arrested the wife of the relative in Dubai, but released her on bail a few days later.
The Kahawatta police denied that the victim was an informant on drug traffickers, but confirmed that three key suspects involved in narcotics was arrested recently, Two of them were arrested last week and are in custody.
The officer in charge of the police station was transferred to Jaffna immediately..
A tense situation had arisen on the day of the funeral of Mr Suranjana after a large number of policemen were posted outside the house.
Police had obtained a court order preventing the remains from being taken to the Kahawatta town
More than 200 policemen including riot squad members were sent in but those who attended the funeral had chased the police away. Some of them tried to march towards the house of the main suspect.
Kahawatta: A tense situation arose on the day of the funeral of the victim of the Kahawatta shooting, Imantha Suranjana. Pix by Upul Weerasiri
The villagers had, however, set fire to a three-wheeler parked outside the house of the suspect.
Police fired tear gas when the villagers allegedly pelted stones at officers.
On Thursday, in Kandana, a gunman and his accomplice on a bike, followed a vehicle and opened fire killing one and injuring another in broad daylight and escaped after firing more shots into the air while stunned people looked on.
A female street vendor, 62, was injured.
The slain person was identified as Upali Amunuwila, 50, while his brother-in-law, Sameera Manahara was injured. Mr Manahara was described as a former co-ordinating secretary of the late minister, Mangala Samaraweera.
Later in the night, in a separate incident in Batuwatta, Ragama a person was shot dead at his residence, He was identified as ‘Army Upul, described as an associate of ‘Ganemulle Sanjeewa’, who was shot dead inside courts in Hulftsdorp earlier this year.
Most shootings and deaths have been described by the police as revenge killings or disputes between groups trafficking drugs.
A senior police officer said that in many of the incidents former military figures have been involved. But, police have made several breakthroughs in investigations.
| Joint operation nets in 300 suspectsBy Sarath Chinthaka More than 300 people were arrested in an overnight operation on Friday carried out jointly by the police, army and the navy in the areas of Kandana, Wattala, Ja-Ela and Ragama. Persons suspected of involvement in drug trafficking, drug possession, and underworld activities were among those arrested. Several vehicles were also checked during the operation.
| |
 Public security committees to be revived to battle underworld activities, says MinisterPublic security committees in all Grama Sevaka (GS) divisions across the country will be revived to gather information on the workings of the underworld, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala said.He said that committees will be set up in the 14,200 GS divisions to provide information to the Police. Mr. Wijepala said the revival of crime divisions in police stations under the supervision of a central unit is also among the plans to combat underworld operations. Combined operations with the help of the police and armed forces would also be conducted island wide to reduce underworld activities and the drug menace. |
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