NAVY’S ASANKA DROWNED HAVING JUMPED INTO KELANI RIVER

Police reports that Navy's Asanka was drowned

‘Navy Asanka’ was arrested by the Police about 3 weeks ago. He was described to be a dangerous underworld criminal. Yesterday evening, the 30th he had attempted to escape, from a tight Police security, had jumped, into the Kelani River. The Police reports that he had died of drowning.
It is reliably reported that he had been responsible for a number of Homicides, robberies and several abductions. He was classed as the No 1 criminal by name ‘NAVY ASANKA’ was arrested by the Athurugiriya Police when he was cornered at Koswatta. While in Police custody he had confessed about a number of criminal acts, he had committed.

The Influence of a Colombo Politician:
From the time he was arrested there had been severe pressure to the Police from a Political Representative in the Colombo district. This fact was distinctly known.It is also reported that if he was questioned when produced to courts that there was a fear that the name and other information of the politician would be revealed.
Whilst in this situation ‘Navy Asanka’, had escaped from the Police security and jumped into the Kelani River while he was been taken to the Nawagamuwa area to show the place where he had hidden his T 56 rifle. A Police constable too had jumped into the river to catch him, but had failed in his attempt, had sustained injuries and had to be treated at the Colombo National Hospital.

A person deserted from the Navy:
It is learnt that the victim is a resident of Panagoda area is called ‘Navy Asanka’, but his correct name is Hasanka Boteju. He had been attached to Navy’s special vessels unit together with Ruwan of the same Navy detachment had deserted the Navy and commenced underworld activities in the year 2003.During the period spanning 8 years to date had confessed to the Police while in custody having murdered 2 persons and had been involved in robberies amounting to lakhs and lakhs of rupees.

Responsible for a series of robberies:
Among the robberies he had been involved were the robberies at the Piliyandala and Nittambuwa food cities, robbery at Hanwella Lucky Gold house, Athurugiriya Pasco, Godagama and Nittambuwa petrol sheds. He also during this period had robbed a number of vans and jeeps.

Cigarette van robbery foiled
Some years ago he was arrested by the Police while trying to rob a cigarette distributing van in Panagoda area. For this offence he was jailed for 2 years. After he was released from jailed he was in fear of revealing his colleagues name Ruwan to the Police, as he had threatened to kill him. Owing to this fear he had fled to Dubai and been in hiding for 2 years.

Help from Politicians
It has now been revealed that Political personnel had helped him to escape from Sri Lanka to go to Dubai. He had commenced his robbery business only after a few years after his return from Dubai. Finally he was cordoned and caught and arrested by the Police on a ‘tip off’ at Koswatta, while returning from Kataragama for his son’s birthday.

What ‘Navy Asanka’ disclosed about the stories of the robberies etc., that were published in the ‘Rivira’ paper during the past weeks are shown below: