Rathgama businessmen killed bodies burnt

By Aneesha Manage   and Krishan Jeewak Jayaruk

The two businessmen who were reported to have gone missing from Boossa in Rathgama have been killed at Akmeemana and their bodies burnt at the Kanumuldeniya-Megdagamgoda forest reserve in Walasmulla, the Police revealed yesterday.  

Bone fragments and teeth suspected to be those of the two businessmen were recovered from the forest reserve and inspected by the Walasmulla Chief Magistrate Suranga Munasinghe.   

Based on the information obtained from the suspects who were arrested in connection with the abduction, the CID officials recovered the teeth and bone fragments from the bed of a dried-up stream inside the reserve.   

Chief Magistrate Suranga Munasinghe, Matara Judicial Medical Officer Sumith Ambepitiya, CID and police officials and officials of the government Analyst’s Department were present at the magisterial inquiry. 

 
The two businessmen, 33-year-old Manjula Asela Kumara and 31-year-old Rasin Chinthaka were abducted on January 23 by some unidentified men who were clad in what appeared to be police uniform.   

A Police Inspector and a Sub Inspector attached to the Southern Province Special Crime Investigation Unit were arrested in this connection.   

Meanwhile, 15 police personnel attached to the Southern Province Special Crime Investigation Unit who were on duty at the time of the abduction were transferred yesterday.     

Abduction of two businessmen 

SI arrested

By Darshana Sanjeewa, D.G. Sugathapala  and S. Diyagahage   

A Police Sub-Inspector attached to the Southern Province Special Investigation Unit was arrested by the CID yesterday in connection with the abduction of two businessmen in Rathgama, Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.  

 An Police Inspector, who was also attached to this unit was arrested by the CID on February 18 in this connection.   

The two businessmen were reported to have been abducted on January 23 by some unidentified men who were dressed in what appeared to be police uniforms.