‘Ava’ gang busted in Jaffna 

June 27, 2015, 7:32 am

Manipay OIC CI Rohan Mahesh (third from left) with some of those personnel responsible for the arrestss (pic courtesy police)

By Madura Ranwala

The Manipay police in the Jaffna peninsula have rounded-up a gang allegedly responsible for terrorising the area.

The police acted in the wake of growing public protests against members of what was called ‘Ava’ group. A series of raids early this week led to the arrest of 18 suspects as well as the recovery of stolen items.

Officer-in-Charge of Manipay police CI Rohan Mahesh said: "The Mallakam Magistrate remanded the suspects till June 29 when they were produced before him on Thursday (June 25). Some of them were wanted in connection with an attack on Jaffna University undergraduate on April 25. They severed the victim’s hand following a fight." The undergraduate has been receiving treatment at the National Hospital, where his arm was surgically reattached.

The police recovered Rs. 692,000 and 17 stolen items including mobile phones, dongles, jewellery, digital cameras and iPads.

Responding to a query by The Island, the police said that in addition to the victim whose arm had been cut off, three other university students had received injuries in a brawl with ‘Ava’ group members.

Several swords, knives and motorcycles had been seized, the police said.

The police are hunting for three more ‘Ava’ group members.