MORATUWA DEPUTY MAYOR ARRESTED OVER THE MURDER OF MONK

Moratuwa UPFA Deputy Mayor grilled and arrested on suspicion over the killing of Monk

On last Sunday night around 9.30 p.m The Chief Incumbent of Egoda Uyana, Sunanadopannada Temple,V en Matigahatanne Wimalawansa thera had been hacked and chopped to death by a group of about 15 people, who had pulled the monk from inside the Avasaya. The dead body was found near the Bo tree of the temple.
It is learnt that this incident had taken place after the Chief Incumbent Monk had returned to the temple after lodging an entry in the Police station for a land dispute. The Chief Incumbent was 46 years old at the time of his tragic death.
Immediately after the killing the Police had commenced investigations and it had revealed that the cause was the Police complaint that was made by the Chief Incumbent in regard to land dispute. It is learnt that a complaint had been made earlier also in this regard. It had revealed that action had not been taken as the suspected person was a close associate of the Deputy Mayor of Moratuwa. The complaint had been made against two persons had constructed houses on lands that belonged to the temple. But no action had been initiated by the Police for the initial complaint.
As these were illegal constructions the Chief Incumbent monk had filed legal action against the owners of the residents. However after the brutal killing of the monk the two persons who had constructed houses on plots of land behind the temple had been taken into custody. The two are supposed to be closely related as Uncle and Nephew. The Police had found those responsible for the killings when the suspects were questioned. The two suspects too had been killed and their dead bodies were found the following day early morning close to Bandaragama.
These two Sujith and Randima had come to the temple along with some others had entered the temple premises with knifes and manna twice to the temple in the absence of the Chief Incumbent monk had threatened the other monks who were in the temple. According to their evidence the Chief Incumbent monk had been attacked as he entered the temple premises. The two had died of gun shot injuries. The suspects in these killings have not been identified. The bodies of Sujith Gunaratna and Randima Ruwanratna had died of gunshot injuries to their heads while their hands had been tied. The dead bodies were found on Monday early morning in the Delkada area in Bandaragama.
The neighbours had seen a crowd of about 15 had come to the temple with sharp weapons .They are supposed to be the supporters of the Deputy Mayor, Sujith Pushpakumara. It is learnt that the two had been shot dead at Delkada area in Bandaragama had been in the crowd of people who encroached the temple on Sunday night. The Deputy Mayor has been arrested in order to arrest the rest of the gang. The Police are searching the rest of 11 persons who invaded the temple.
The Superintendent of Police in the Mount Lavinia area together with the OIC crimes of the Mount Lavinia Police together the Moratuwa Police personnel are conducting investigations.