Buttala trio arrested with gajamuthu

The gajamuthu that the Dambulla Police seized.

Sigiriya Special Corr.-Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Three businessmen in Buttala, including two brothers-in-law and their uncle, who had arrived in Dambulla to sell two gajamuthu for Rs. 7 million, were arrested on suspicion by the Dambulla Police on April 23 afternoon.

They are suspected to have obtained the gajamuthu by killing a tusker in the Yala sanctuary.

Police said the Dambulla Police special operations unit officers, acting on a tip-off, persuaded the three suspects to have a rendezvous in Dambulla by discussing the deal over the phone, posing as prospective buyers.

After getting a policemen posing as a businessmen to discuss matters relating to the deal and examining the items, police waiting in hiding arrested them. On interrogation, the two brothers-in-law had said that their uncle owned the stones. Police said investigations are continuing to find the tusks of the slain tusker. The suspects were due to be produced before the Dambulla Magistrate.

Further investigations are continuing, directed by Dambulla Crimes OIC Gayan Samarakoon.