Famous gem businessman Nimal Pathirana ... missing!

Famous gem businessman Nimal Pathirana ... missing!

Deshabandu Nimal Pathirana (57), a leading gem businessman in Ratnapura has disappeared while under treatment in hospital, relatives of his family have informed.

He was admitted to Colombo South Teaching Hospital last 20th by the husband of one of his daughters and he has disappeared from the hospital last 23rd. Though all places where he would

have gone was searched, no trace of him was found. Nimal Pathirana alias Guneratna is a frontline gem businessman in the island. He was one of those who pioneered to take the gem business which was in the hands of foreigners to the hands of the Sinhalese in the '70s. His gems were highly appreciated by Queen Elizabeth the Second in Britain and the incident of one of his gems being selected as the wedding ring for Kate, wife of Prince William the latter of whom was the heir to the crown and details about this news circulated the world over.

Mr. Nimal Pathirana is the father of 3 sons from his earlier marriage and he has 2 daughters from his second marriage. He had been maintaining relationships with all of them and he had for the last time been living in his second wife's residence in Kirullapona, Polhengoda. News about his disappearance was initially conveyed to Kurunduwatta Police by a son from his earlier marriage and the police by now are on the search for him.