Peliyagoda Division Crime Investigation Unit has cracked the Rs 5 billion diamond and gem robbery in Arawwala, Maharagama and recovered the stolen jewellery yesterday.
Police arrested three suspects and had recovered the stolen diamond, which is valued at Rs 5 billion. It was found hidden in an almirah, found inside an upper floor apartment in Thaksala Crossroad, Keselwatte in Panadura, Police spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera told a press briefing yesterday.
The suspect, Kelum Indika (40), who is said to have masterminded the robbery, had rented two houses, one at Katubedda, Moratuwa and the other at Keselwatte, Panadura to hide the stolen valuables, he said.
The investigations have revealed that he and the organized criminal Makandure Madhush have been friends for a long time.They had worked on a bus in the Matara area as a driver and conductor. Madhush was the driver. Police also took into custody 126 mobile phones used to carry out criminal operations and gold jewellery weighing 40 pounds and cash.The items were recovered from the house in Panadura.
Police found 47 bullets, one grenade, three handcuffs, and several military like uniforms from the house in Katubedda. Police has found Rs 15 million in cash buried in his Pitigala residence, he said.
Police said Indika was receiving money from Makandure Madhush to carry out the narcotic operations.Interrogations have led to the arrest of these items and the suspect spilling out his activities related to drug operations and weapons used by them to carry out criminal activities.
Police investigations following the arrest of two suspects involved in the Maharagama diamond and gem robbery have revealed that not just one robber gang but a dozen criminal gangs have come together to carry out the crime, Police spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera said.
The two suspects were arrested by the Peliyagoda Crime Investigation Division’s Crime Investigation Unit on March 1, based on a tip off provided by the Special Police Unit’s Special Branch, that the duo are having links with Makandure Madhush and they are party to criminal operations carried out by Madhush.
The suspects, Panagodage Hemal Ranjana Perera, (30), from Welihinda Kaduwela and Pitigalagoda Arachchige Kasun Sandaruwan (28), from Kurunduwatta Ranala, had revealed the name of their gang’s leader as Kelum Indika.The criminal gang that robbed the diamond and gems from the located in Arawwala, Maharagama on November 5, had met Kelum Indika on the walking track in Piliyandala after the robbery and delivered the stolen diamond and the gems to him along with two pistols and a T-56 rifle.
Peliyagoda Division police had taken Kelum Indika (40) into custody on Monday near the Kiribathgoda public bus stand.
The suspect also called, Dodamduwa Waduge Kelum Indika Sampath alias ‘Kevuma” had 10 grams and 200 milligrams of heroin in his possession at the time of arrest.
He was wearing a gold necklace with a talisman said to have the power to dodge bullets fired at him. Indika had said he paid Rs. 3.6 million to get it made, SP Gunasekera said.
Peliyagoda Police Division’s Crime Unit have conducted investigations under the supervision of Western aNorth DIG Deshabandu Thennakoon.
The operation was coordinated by Kelaniya Division SSP Upali Jayasinghe.
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