Eighty ft tunnel to nowhere

Asela KURULUWANSE

A resident in Ellekade Alawathugoda was arrested by Alawathugoda Police yesterday while secretly digging a tunnel inside his palatial house.

Police said the suspect had dug the tunnel horizontally for about 80 feet from his drawing room when they arrested him.

The dug up earth was piled up inside the house to avoid detection by neighbours. The raid followed a tip-off by a member of the Civil Defence Force. Police which also took in the suspects wife and his child for questioning in this connection also seized a water pump and a roll of electricity cable from the spot. Investigation revealed that three other persons had assisted the suspect in digging the tunnel.

On interrogation, the suspect had said he was digging for hidden treasure.