The owner of Biyagama Village Hotel, Bernard Jayaratne (65) was hacked to death this morning in one of his estates in Pahala Dompe in Dompe by an unidentified person who had come on a motorbike, the police said.

According to eyewitnesses the killing had been carried out by the unidentified person who was hiding inside the estate at around 6.30am. Police said that the victim was hacked to death with a manna knife while he was in one of his coconut estates.

According to two people on the estate who had seen the incident, Jayaratne had come to the estate in his double cab to inspect his land at around 6.00am which he visits three to four times a week. When he was about to get into the double cab the suspect who was wearing a helmet had attacked him. (Supun Dias)








Pix by Upali Ranaweera