'Hithumathe jeewithe' gets bail -- is it a minister who is trying to put him in jail again?

'Hithumathe jeewithe' gets bail -- is it a minister who is trying to put him in jail again?

Batagahage Sumathipala or Ranjith alias 'Hithumathe jeewithe' who has become notorious as an abnormal 'serial killer' who had been from time to time killing those who molested his sister, going to jail on and off was inside bars for 43 years and then received amnesty from the President during the regime of former President and subsequently cured himself from his sicknesses and thus managed to achieve freedom from jail last February 4th.

A dialogue emerged last week because he was taken into custody once again because of some minor offences. He was arrested by police over a theft committed while sleeping in a railway compartment

during the railway strike which went into action sometime back and later for robbing jewellery worth Rs. three thousand from the house of a doctor in Polgasowita some 12 years back. However retired group captain Mr. Krishantha Manamperi who appeared as his guardian came forward and freed him. 'Hithumathe jeewithe' on the other hand says that he is not responsible for the said robberies.

Even books, 'kavi kola' and cinematic creations in relation to the life of this serial killer who engaged in an extraordinary battle from the age of 17 upto now in order to take revenge from those who took away the life of his sister and now some dialogue has flared up in the social media about an unseen power in the form of a minister who is at the background which is active in directing him to jail once more. A present minister related to the old minister who was responsible for the death of the sister at the hands of the murderers is behind these 'problems', reports were published.

Batugahage Sumathipala who was sentenced to death and has received President's amnesty on two occasions and had escaped prison seven times who has 'Hithumathe jeewithe' tatooed on his chest is now passing through his 62nd year in life.

After being taken into custody for murdering Kalutara headquarters chief inspector of police for sexually abusing and then murdering his sister, he was sentenced to be hanged on May 7th, 1975 at Bogambara prison. The day before the said date he had broken his plate into four parts and cut his body with one of those pieces and sustained severe injuries and was thus admitted to prison hospital. The doctor refused prison officers who came to the hospital to take him away to be hanged as he was seriously injured and as a consequence he could not face the death sentence.

Afterwards the doctor concerned mediated with the then governor Mr. William Gopallawa and after matters were explained to him, just about five minutes before he was to be hanged in the year 1978, he got the President's amnesty. From then onwards, 'Hithumathe jeewithe' who escaped prison on and off managed to kill five of those who helped murder his sister and was thus jailed, it is understood. On each such occasion it was his custom to commit the murder and to come to police with the victim's head and thereby surrender himself. It is learned that he had served a period of over 43 years behind bars.

The present President, former President, Rohana Wijeweera, Vijaya Kumaratunga, Podi Wije, Maru Sira as well as Samayan had been his comrades in jail and he had spent time in 18 prisons in Sri Lanka, it is said. He has also killed one person who had come to kill him in prison itself. Anyhow after he finished killing all elements who took part in killing his sister he has not committed a single murder since 1978.

"Hithumathe jeewithe' who had to face a jail term till 2039 got involved in a fast together with other inmates of Bogambara prison in the year 2014 by climbing onto the roof and having become serious, was granted a common amnesty from the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa. As a result of an ailment he contracted in his throat during the fast he had gone to India and after returning from treatment there he then duly came out from prison last February 4th, 2018. Having identified 'Hithumathe jeewithe' at Peliyagoda police, took him into his personal custody and proceeded to provide lodging at a land in Habarana.