Death of former CID-DIG Tyrell Goonatilleke

COLOMBO: Former CID-DIG Tyrell Goonatilleke, expired yesterday while under medical care at the Police Hospital, Colombo. He was 80 at the time of his death.

He will be laid to rest at the General Cemetery, Borella at 5.00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30 with Police honours and his body will lie at the A. F. Raymond's Parlour for the public to pay their last respects from 5 p.m. today.

DIG Goonatilleke born on February 17, 1927 retired as DIG at the age of 60 on February 17, 1987. He perhaps would close the chapter of the Police generation who enroled to the Police Department under the last British IGP.

Educated at St. Aloysius College, Galle his dream was to be a pilot but the prevailing condition at the time was not conducive to pursue his dream and was doing his legal studies at the time he joined the Police Force as a Sub Inspector on June 08, 1946.

He served the Police Department for 41 years, 28 years as Deputy Inspector General serving at the Criminal Investigation Department. He was promoted as the Head of the CID in 1971 and was promoted to the rank of DIG in 1979. He ended his career in 1987 with credentials as one of the finest Policemen the Department produced. He was in all probability the only Police Officer to have won the Sri Lanka Police Medal of Merit in 1976.

Among the famous cases he handled as a Police criminal investigator includes the mysterious murder of Adlin Vithana in 1958 in Wilpatthu, the Premier S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike assassination case in 1959, Coup-de-Tat of 1962 against the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Government, Kelawettawe Double Murder, CWE robbery 1960 and Rev. Mathew Peiris case and they stand as proof of his service to the Nation and to the Police Department. His wife predeceased him and he leaves his three daughters.