Man on the run after triple murder arrested in Gampaha

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya and Pushpakumara Mallawarachchi

Three members of the same family from Maladeniya in Mirigama had been strangled to death and their cash and jewellery taken away by a relative.  

The deceased were Nugadeni Arachchige Lionel Premasiri (78), his wife Duliyawathi Jayalath Menike (80), and their son Sumudu Priyashantha (42).

The suspect had been arrested on suspicion by a police patrol in Nalla town in Gampaha in the early hours of last morning after noticing blood stains on his shirt and questioned him to find in his possession pliers, a stock of jewellery and cash amounting to Rs.250,000.   

The police had taken him then to a house the address of which had been written on a membership card of a political party which was in his possession to find the three dead bodies. Investigations revealed that the victims were the suspect’s uncle, aunt and their disabled son.   

Judging from the preliminary investigations, the police believe that the three individuals had been strangled to death at about 2am, when they were fast asleep. Police said the suspect had fled from the scene on his uncle’s bicycle.   

Attanagalla Actg. Magistrate Shashikala Wanigasuriya visited the scene and held the preliminary magisterial inquiry and ordered police to refer the bodies to the JMO Watupitiwala Base Hospital and produce the postmortem report.   

A police team under OIC Nalla Police CI H. Jayatillaka and OIC Crime Investigation Branch IP Upali Herath are conducting further investigations on the instructions of ASP Prasad Fernando.