Police have arrested four suspects in connection with an abduction during a nighttime patrol in Mattakkuliya yesterday (November 16), based on a tip-off from a private informant.
The suspects, aged 24, 26, 27, and 32, are from Pudukudiirippu, Kotahena, Etchilampatru, and Topur. Two of them, residents of Etchilampatru and Topur, are linked to the ‘Ava Group,’ a criminal gang active in Sri Lanka's North and Eastern regions.
Investigations revealed that the other two suspects had recently returned from Dubai and were allegedly acting on instructions from a Dubai-based individual. They brought the ‘Ava Group’ members from Trincomalee to Mattakkuliya.
The abduction stemmed from threats made by the ‘Ava Group’ members to the Dubai individual via TikTok. The suspects reportedly lured the gang members to Mattakkuliya through a woman, assaulted them, recorded the act, and shared the footage with the person in Dubai.
