Grease Yaka myth laid two rest

Sarath MALALASEKERA

Inspector General of Police N K Illangakoon yesterday appealed to the public not to have any fear of the Grease Yaka or Boothaya.

Police investigations carried out countrywide during the last several months had proved that there is no Grease Yaka or Boothaya in the country.

The IGP addressing the media yesterday afternoon at the Police Headquarters, requested the media not to use the name Grease Yaka or Boothaya in their newspapers in future.

“The media has a great responsibility to assist Police and the public by not giving wrong information which creates panic,” the IGP added.

The IGP said that the Police had conducted countrywide investigations to trace Grease Yaka and Boothaya.

“Investigations revealed that all those people who posed off as Grease Yaka and Boothaya are involved in hard drug trafficking and underworld activities,” he said. Some taken into custody were involved in killing several persons. They have been remanded, the IGP said.

IGP Illangakoon said that they have carried out countrywide investigations to trace the Grease Yaka and Boothaya on the directions of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Media Centre for National Security Director General Lakshman Hulugalle said the Police had done an excellent job in tracing the culprits who posed off as Grease Yaka and Boothaya.

Hulugalle appealed to the public to assist the Police to wipe out this menace.

Senior DIG Pujitha Jayasundera said investigators had taken 47 suspects who are alleged to have posed as Grease Yaka and Boothaya.

Senior DIG Jayasundera gave a detailed report about the suspects in custody and said that most are involved in underworld activities and were involved in transporting hard drugs to various parts of the country, including, Ampara, Bibile, Kahawatta, Kandy, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Polonnaruwa, Moneragala, Hasalaka, Nikaweratiya, Gampola, Bandarawela and Kantale.

Some suspects had told investigators that they dressed as Grease Yaka and Boothaya to frighten the public to carry out their underworld activities.

Police arrested a person with a haul of ganja in his possession in the Moneragala Police area. Some suspects have mental problems, Senior DIG Jayasundera added.

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Two Grease Yakas killed in mistaken identity

C. Gamage- Soranathota group correspondent

Two men mistakenly identified as Grease Yakas were killed in Haputale yesterday. Residents had caught the two men, dressed in black, while in conversation with female workers at a tea estate. The deceased have been identified as residents of Moneragala. Workers prevented Police from coming to the scene resulting in a tense situation. Two Police personnel were injured during a clash with villagers. The situation was brought under control by the Police Special Task Force.

Haputale police are investigating.

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[The ‘Grease Yaka’]

The Police Department yesterday issued two photographs of persons who posed as Grease Yakas in and around Thaldena in the Badulla district. Badulla Police nabbed two persons involved in looting houses in Badulla area by posing as Grease Yakas.

According to Police Spokesman SP Prishantha Jayakody, the photographs were stored in the suspects’ mobile phones. They had engaged in nefarious activities creating a fear psychosis among the people in the area by changing their looks.

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