The Western Province (North) Crime Division has arrested the primary suspect linked to the tragic killing of a Buddhist monk at a temple in the Malwathuhiripitiya area last month.
Alongside the arrest, police have seized a cache of illicit items, including a live grenade of foreign make, a T-56 firearm suspected to have been used in various criminal activities, a pistol, and approximately 15 grams of ice, a potent drug. Additionally, a stockpile of live ammunition, a motorcycle fitted with counterfeit license plates, the remote key of a burnt and destroyed vehicle, and a mobile phone were recovered from the suspect.
The detained individual, identified as a 30-year-old resident of Mullegama in the Homagama area, has emerged as a key figure in drug trafficking and other criminal enterprises within the country. Investigations have unveiled his direct involvement in illicit activities under the direction of two organized crime figures who are currently residing abroad.
The tragic incident occurred on January 23 when a group of four assailants, arriving in a vehicle, perpetrated a fatal shooting inside a temple located in the Malwathuhiripitiya area of Gampaha during the early hours. The victim of this senseless act of violence was Ven. Kalapaluwawe Dhammarathana Thero, a 45-year-old Buddhist monk, who sustained critical injuries and was immediately rushed to Gampaha Hospital. Despite efforts to save his life, Ven. Dhammarathana Thero succumbed to his injuries while undergoing medical treatment.
