Special Police operation nets four member gang

by Prasad Purnamal

Saliyawewa Police in a special operation apprehended four members alleged to be cadres of the Karuna faction and seized a miniature pistol from the main suspect. Police also found 15 live bullets and two magazines in the possession of the suspects.

Saliyawewa Police said that the main suspect identified by Police as Neelan was arrested along with three others in the wee hours of yesterday while the suspects were travelling to the North in a van hired from a owner in Kochchikade.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the main suspect had worked for more than seven years before he had quit the LTTE and joined the Karuna faction, the Police said.

Saliyawewa Police OIC Inspector E. Gunatilake said that the suspects had dropped the pistol and ammunition before the van was stopped by Police officials at the check point. Later the suspects had asked the driver to head back to the spot where they had dropped the weapon. On a tip-off from the driver, the suspects were arrested.

On the directions of the North Western DIG Asoka Ratnaweera and SSP Gamini Amarakoon, Saliyawewa Police are conducting further investigations.