Former Army officer stabbed to death
WELIGAMA: A former Army officer was stabbed to death following a brawl in Weligama.
The 50-year-old man died on the spot while another person who was with him sustained serious cut injuries and was rushed to a local hospital.
A festering dispute between the two groups had allegedly led to the incident, police said.
The police are hunting for three persons who are believed to have been behind the incident.
Three schoolboys held for theft
HORANA: Three boys from a leading school in the suburbs were arrested for alleged theft of computers, mobile phones, lap tops and related accessories from several shops.
The suspects who are all 16 years of age were picked up by a police mobile patrol while riding motorcycles and armed with an axe.
Subsequent investigations revealed that the suspects had stored pornographic material in a stolen computer.
It was also revealed that they had raided several shops and removed items valued at some Rs four million.
The three students were arrested on Thursday night (15) while riding on motorcycles with an axe.
Following the arrest, the Police recovered three motorcycles used by the students, stolen mobile phones, laptops and other items.
Among the pornographic material were a group of nude teenage girls who were known to the suspects.
The group had burgled several shops in Anguruwatota, Horana, Ingiriya and Bulathsinhala areas.
Four fake cops arrested
WELMILLA: Four persons who impersonated police officers were arrested at a location in Welmilla Moragahahena while they were allegedly extorting money from persons involved in illegal trade activities.
The suspects told the victims that they were officers from the Western Province Intelligence Unit.
The suspects were rounded up by suspicious villagers and later handed over to the local police.
Initial investigations have revealed that the group had targeted those mainly involved in the illicit alcohol and tobacco trade.
The arrest prompted a senior police official to say that the public was within the right to demand identification from persons who claim to be mufti-clad police officers.
Luck runs out for Yaka Bass
A blacksmith known as Yaka Baas and his assistant Chandi who had been manufacturing illegal firearms for the past 37 years, were arrested by the Anuradhapura police.
They were taken into custody from the Bendiwewa area in Moragoda, Galenbindunuwewa with three illegally made weapons.
The weapons are also known as ‘Cap Guns’, according to police.
The blacksmith told police that he had been in the illegal business since 1988 and could not remember the exact number of weapons he manufactured which were later sold to farmers and poachers.