Golden era of CID

Ananda Jayasena Snr. Supdt. of Police (Rdt.)

The glorious period of the CID was in the late 50s and early 60s, where the senior officers could solve almost all the cases reported, such as the Bandaranaike Assassination case, the infamous 1962 Coup D’etat, the CWE Robbery and the Pauline de Cruze case. The brains behind the successful handling of these cases were Messrs John Attygalle, Eleric Abeygunawardena, S K Iyer and last but not the least Tyrrel Goonetilleke.

In early 40s there was a rich Buddhist family whose only son Lal Salgado was having a love affair with the daughter of Casichetty family. Being of two caste denominations and of two different religions, there were objections from both parties. The girl contacted the hierarchy of the Catholic Church through her Parish Priest and permission was granted to marry in the Church without the facilities of a full mass but only with a Church ceremony. Finally, the marriage ceremony was conducted by the Parish Priest of St Mary’s Church, Bambalapitiya.

The newly married couple shifted to Dickmons Road, Bambalapitiya but the parents-in-law opted to live in their own houses at Kotahena and Cinnamon Gardens.

Lal Salgado was the Superintendent of his own estate at Ratnapura and visited her house once or twice a week. The newly weds were very happy and contented. They had everything they wanted.

On November 15, 1942 a baby girl was born and on mutual agreement she was baptised a Catholic and named Carmel. Two years later a baby boy was born. He was named Lalaji and allowed to follow his father’s religion.

The house at Dickmons Road was the talk of the town. All known to them called this house the ‘Nest’ as happiness, tranquillity and peace was ever present there.

After three years, little Lalaji fell sick and the famous brain Surgeon Dr Darrel Wyman performed an operation. His pronouncement was that a small cyst overgrown in the brain was removed and that when time goes by there can be complications.

Lalaji grew up to be a very energetic, strong boy with normal talent. The girl sent to a leading Convent at Bambalapitiya, whilst the son entered his father’s school, Royal College. Both children went to school in chauffeur driven cars.

When the boy 12 years old, one day the school was over early at 12.00 noon due to some school function and he came home by bus. When he entered his house and went pass the main bed room, he noticed his mother sleeping in the room and a man seated at the head of her bed. Lalaji could not believe his eyes. He was furious, darted into the next room picked up a walking stick and wanted to murder the intruder. But when he entered the mother’s room, he was not there and she was still asleep. Lalaji was cock sure that there was no time for anyone to get away. Where was the man? How did he escape?

He came to the verandah, sat on a chair and was thinking of this episode. He decided to leave home. In the same school uniform he went to the Pettah bus stand and got into a Matara bound bus and bought a ticket to Galle as his grand mother lived there. He had visited her twice earlier by car but did not know the exact place where this house was located.

When he reached Galle it was about 6.30 pm and the darkness was falling. He was now stranded in the Galle main bus stand. Two beat duty Constables saw him, took him to the Galle Police and after interrogation gave a Police message to Bambalapitiya to inform the parties to come and take back the stranded boy.

Salgado panicked as the child had not yet come from school. She rang up Lal at Ratnapura and sent her emissaries in search of the boy but to no avail.

The message sent from Galle Police to Bambalapitiya was now conveyed to Salgados and both mother and father proceeded to Galle Police Station and the boy was brought back to Colombo by car. The boy did not disclose as to why he left the house but said that he wanted to go to his grand mother’s house. Five years elapsed. Nothing untoward took place in between but Lalaji lost interest in going to school and finally stopped altogether and remained at home.

In 1962 a spate of attempted Bank robberies took place in and around Colombo. Fortunately the Bank vaults could not be opened.

Two palm prints were found at two scenes and both were checked by the Registrar of Fingerprints and found that the prints were of a new comer (no previous records available). Besides the Banks two Jewellery Shops, one at Peliyagoda and the other at Nugegoda, had been burgled and cash and jewellery had been removed by the culprits. At one place a set of palm prints were found and the RFP had identified that all three prints (two at the Banks and this one) had been of the same person.

Because of the spate of attempts on the Banks, the IG Police had ordered that all such cases should be referred to the CID for investigation. In the meantime, Banks in the whole Island increased their own security staff and instructed them to apprehend the culprits at any cost.

In 1962 September, the Bank Security Staff of Kotahena had overpowered a young, energetic, full grown man with a set of house breaking implements.

The victim had been severely assaulted and to bring him under control, he had been put into a tank of neck deep water. The Kotahena Police were then informed. On receipt of this information Kotahena Police took the injured to the General Hospital as they felt the condition of the injured was bad.

The CID took over the case. Dr Ralston de Silva informed the Police that the patient was in a serious condition. Dr Silva had been a resident at Dickmons Road, Bambalapitiya for a long time and knew Lalaji and informed the parents of his condition as they were known to the doctor.

The patient used to get convulsions and I went to Ward six and recorded Lalaji Salgado’s statement in detail. He said “About 10 years back I ran away from home. Once near St Anthony’s church Kotahena. I met a man called Leo. He was very kind and asked me what I was doing. He lives close by at Newham Square. He was a bachelor, had a house and a mistress too.

He smoked opium. He knew martial art and taught me. He was very good, but all his friends were of the underworld type. He was very kind to me. Once he took me to Chetty Street and he stole a wrist watch.

I did not go home. I liked Leo and his house. Once my mother came to St Anthony’s church. I avoided her and hid myself. Leo and I did two burglaries at Pawn Broker shops at Peliyagoda and Nugegoda and removed most of the jewellery and I gave all that to Leo. Then we switched to robbing Banks. We robbed three Banks but could not enter the vaults.

Whenever and wherever I operated Leo will be close by, watching me. When we attempted to open the Kotahena Bank I was caught by their security, badly manhandled and submerged in water. Leo escaped. I never told anyone that Leo is my partner. I do not like to go back home. I did not take the proceeds of the two robberies at Pawn Broker shops. I am happy with Leo. When I come out of jail, I will go to him again.”

The boy did not give any valid reason as to why he does not want to go home. After recording the statement we left the hospital having kept a 24 hour Police guard.

IP A M Seneviratne spoke to the doctor of the ward and he said that the patient was recovering and could be discharged very soon.

Three days later Lalaji died in the ward of the General Hospital and arrangements were made to hold an inquest on the death. The inquest into this death was held by the City Coroner J N C Thiruchelvam in the Coroner’s Court, General hospital, Colombo.

The post mortem examination on the body of Lalaji was held at the Police Morgue Borella by Dr Chandra Amerasekera, D/JMO and gave the cause of death as Pneumonia-natural causes.

Salgados did not want to hold funeral rites at their home at Dickmons Road but gave the body to undertakers to be kept in their parlour. Even an obituary notice did not appear in the newspapers.

Finally the body was buried in the Buddhist Section of Kanatte in the midst of a very small gathering.