Police warn public to be vigilant of individuals who try to extort money

An organised racket is in operation to extort money from the relatives of the suspects who are in custody over the Easter Sunday attacks, the Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera revealed yesterday.

The suspects who impersonate as Police officers approach the suspects of the Easter Sunday attacks assuring them various benefits and reliefs for financial rewards.

Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said according to the information, the gang reported having called the relatives of the suspects who arrested over the attacks or during search operations.

" The gang who are impersonating them as police reported to have contacted and demanded money in return to release the suspects either in remand custody or detention," he said.

The Spokesman said that information also received that the gang also had called several individuals claiming that they were from the police. They reported having told those individuals that police wanted to arrest them over the April 21 incident. The gang demand money from those individuals to prevent their arrest.

SP Gunasekara requested the general public to be vigilant of money extortion racket by the gang. He also requested the public to inform the nearest police station if they received such telephone calls demanding money. (Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)