Was jailor of prison's training school murdered on a contract of a high hand of prison itself?

Was jailor of prison's training school murdered on a contract of a high hand of prison itself?

It is reported that it is being revealed to security forces that the murder of chief jailor of Colombo Welikada prison training school is an act of the underworld carried out on instructions of a senior hand of Galle prison. The jailor named Meregna Thilina Ruwan Thihara Jayaratna (44) living down Santin de Soyza Mawatha, Kuligoda, Ambalangoda was shot dead on the evening of last 3rd August. 

Apart from the heroin racket, what is behind this murder was to create an opportunity to carry on
their underworld activities without any obstructions, it was confirmed by police. Underworld gang leader Arumahandi Lasith Madhusanka de Silva (27) alias 'Podi Lassi' of No. 6, Thelwattha, Hikkaduwa is responsible for a number of killings including former chairman of Hikkaduwa provincial council Manoj Mendis (35), Thiramadura Randika de Soysa (33) of Idanthota, Ambalangoda, and Agampodi Devika de Soysa (27) and his child Thiramadura Randika de Soysa is presently under remand custody. Though bail has been allowed him for both these cases by now, it has still not been possible to meet demands stipulated in bail. 

It has been the strategy of present underground elements to remain behind bars    

in remand in preference to seeking freedom through bail and it is their opinion that prisons is a wonderful place for their own protection and underground activities. It is confirmed according to information gathered from sources of prison department that Thilina Ruwan Thihara Jayaratna (44) who served as the chief jailor at Boossa prisons since the year 2014 has subsequently obtained position of deputy chief jailor at Galle prison on skills displayed during his duties. 

Lasith Madhusanka (27) alias Podi Lassi remains in Colombo magazine prison under strict protection and he was taken to Galle prison the day before in connection with cases being heard in Galle and Balapitiya courts against him and during such circumstances it is understood that he gets special treatment under a senior person in prison. It is an open secret that even after the court hearing that Podi Lassi was detained at Galle prison for two or three days by Galle prison officers. During those few days Podi Lassi had the opportunity of telephone facilities at his disposal as and when he wanted with powers of superintendent of Galle prison. 

It is understood that there were elements in prison who would murder those who obstructed Podi Lassi in carrying on his activities in heroin and impeded his progress. It is thus understood that a 'santhosam' of substantial quantity was credited to the bank account of a senior of prison from the wealth that Podi Lassi acquired from his heroin deals in this respect.Thilina Ruwan Thihara who was murdered had vehemently opposed this course of action and the high official referred to  had got into serious clashes in this connection. A large number of Galle prison officers joining in with Thilina Ruwan Thihara Jayaratna has aggravated this conflict. Petitions and complaints had been received in plenty by prison department about the role played by a prison senior and the suspicion which flared up within a senior that those petitions were directed by Thilina Ruwan Thihara Jayaratna has ultimately ended up with the result of both of them gripped in utter rivalry. 

It was during the era when this cold war was in operation between the said high official of Galle prison and deputy chief jailor that an accomplice of Podi Lassi was arrested after a posse of policemen of Meetiyagoda police raided a heroin den of Podi Lassi on 19th October, 2018. It is said that by that time Thilina Ruwan Thihara Jayaratna who was in service as deputy chief jailor of Galle prison had been to an animal farm close to a heroin den to buy some chicken on 19th March, 2018. 

Suspicions of Meetiyagoda police was aroused as for what purpose he had come there on that day and after being taken into custody was released later. After this incident fell on the ears of the prison senior has launched an inquiry on prison level and has suspended Thilina Ruwan Thihara from his duties. Subsequently he was once again taken into custody by Meetiyagoda police and was then suspected of having engaged in heroin dealing and a case was filed at Balapitiya court. Thilina Ruwan who was released from the prison inquiry and the case filed against him was reinstated in his job as chief jailor of Weliada training school, Colombo just 4 months prior to this. 

Thilina Ruwan Thihara who was at the end of receiving various inconsistencies of the senior of Galle prison which had developed during the service-period in Galle prison and his actions against that officer began to keep on growing in the process. It is understood that by the recent past few months it had reached its apex. 

Prison department is sounded about 3 large houses supposed to be belonging to the said officer as well as a mansion being built in Kalahe, Galle and in this connection this high officer has suspected Thilina Ruwan Thihara as the person who has leaked out this information. Further it is no secret in prison circles which circulated in a big way that this high official has earned 50 times more than which he could earn from the prison job. It is also the opinion of a majority of other officers in Galle prison that it was not possible to afford much facilities within Galle prison for underground leaders because of Thilina Ruwan Thihara Jayaratna's activities. It has also come to be known that a fear had been brewing around in the minds of underground elements in the south whether services rendered by that officer to Galle prison would not be available anymore for this very reason. 

Officers of Galle prison say that for this reason a senior official of Galle prison has sounded Podi Lassi that Thilina Ruwan Thihara Jayaratna has thus become a headache to him. Thus a decision may have been taken by Podi Lassi to oust Thilina Ruwan Thihara Jayaratna according to the belief of Galle prison officers. 

A certain person has been taken into custody recently on suspicion in connection with the well known Avant Garde incident and has been posted to remand in Galle prison. An attempt made by a senior officer of Galle prison to forward him to Galle Karapitiya hospital on the understanding that he is in a sick condition was dismissed by doctor of Galle prison. The said officer has once more made this similar attempt to move this inmate to Karapitiya hospital through a senior nurse assigned such powers in the absence of the doctor concerned, officers of Galle prison say and in that respect this officer is suspected to have taken a bribe of some lakhs of rupees from members of the family of this inmate. By now, the prison department has madea request that further inquiries about the murder be handled by criminal investigation department, it has been reported.