Forest officers in shoot-out with treasure hunters

Sandasen MARASINGHE

A man was injured in a shooting incident between forest officers and a group of treasure hunters when the suspects attempted to dig for treasure in the heart of Maduruoya National Park.

Police Spokesman SP Ajith Rohana said that the five treasure hunters were arrested by the forest officers and the injured suspect was admitted to the Dambana hospital for treatment.

He added that a muzzle loader gun was also seized from the suspects’ possession.

The Police Spokesman stated that the suspects began to shoot at the forest officers with the muzzle loader gun when they raided the site where the suspects were digging for treasure.

Then the forest officers retaliated and the suspects surrendered to the forest officers.

The suspects were engaged in treasure hunting in an area called Pansal Kanda in Kadupahara Ella in the middle of the Maduruoya National Park in Mahiyanganaya. Police said that the area was littered with stone pillars and plants. Police said the injured suspect was a resident of Girandurukotte. The other suspects were from Gemunupura, Habaraduwa and Mahiyanganaya.

The group of Police officers led by Mahiyanganaya Police acting OIC IP Priyantha Chandrasekara is investigating.