An investigative team of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday arrested the main suspect who is believed to have assisted drug kingpin Shantha Kumara to escape from prison.
According to Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara, the CID team arrested the suspect from the Devram Vehera, Lunugamvehera. “The suspect has been identified as 32-year-old Mahesh Indika,” Gunasekara said. Shantha Kumara, involved in the local drug mafia escaped from the Welikada prison on November 17 last year. He was transferred from the Kalutara prison to the Kegalle prison on the day to face a court hearing following which he was brought to the Colombo Remand Prison. However, due to the failure of prison officials to adhere to proper prisoner handover procedures, Shantha Kumara was taken away by two individuals posing as prison officers from the Kalutara Prison.
He was later re-arrested on December 11 by the officers of the Special Task Force (STF) after he was found to be hiding in the remote Meemure area.