Who holds reigns in the underworld these days? -- Results of latest census

Who holds reigns in the underworld these days? -- Results of latest census

A consensus carried out by police headquarters about underground gangs presently active in Sri Lanka and have shrunk is now released. According to the survey conducted, there are 24 main gangs in operation in this manner in the island. In addition, there are 50 further sub-gangs too. All those gangs in fact are under leaders of the main gang. Of those 24 gangs, 18 gangs are operating in Colombo and congested cities. There are however two or three gangs down South. 

The most powerful gang is considered to be that of Makandure Madush and Kosgoda Sujeewa.
Kosgoda Sujee of course operates his his gang from Dubai. There were even LTTE gunners in his gang. It is those two gangs who wield the biggest power. Even the Colombo underground has come to a stage where they bow down to those two cliques. Podi Lassie as well as Karandeniye Sudda behind the murder of chief jailor Tennakoon of prison training school are stalwarts of Kosgoda Sujee. Presently, the biggest number of members are found in the two gangs of Kosgoda Sujee and Makandure Madush. Their members are no less than a hundred. Most of them are those who deserted the army. However, over thirty or forty linked to these two gangs are at the moment behind bars. Among them is Kosgoda Tharaka. He in fact was under the shelter of Kosgoda Sujee; he now is an accomplice of Makandure Madush. Having failed in the Matara Nileka jewellery robbery in Matara is now spending time in jail. Kosgoda Sujee is considered as a link in the underground network of Makandure Madush. Other than Kosgoda Sujee and Makandure Madush, several others who nourish the underground network of the south are at the moment overseas. 

Even before Kosgoda Sujee and Makandure Madush elements came into this trade, STF Nandun who swayed power over Colombo and south is in Italy. Nandun is of course a relative of Kosgoda Sujee. It is from Nandun that Kosgoda Sujee learned his first lessons of the underworld. Babi who was involved in the murder of a hotel owner in Jambugasmulla sometime back was in fact an accomplice of Sujee. After the Jambugasmulla episode Babi flees the country into the Sujee's bosom. Another underground criminal who had the south in his hands is Rathgama Vidura who incidentally is now in Italy. Both he and Nandun are now silent individuals. In the same way, Dinuka who displayed underground exploits by making Keselwaththa his focal point too is out of the country and that is in the country of Dubai. Even Gona Kovile Shantha who showed his underground 'games' in Ratmalana area also is away in Japan. Another showman of Gona Kovila, Anju is now stationed in Dubai. His rival happens to be Gona Kovile Roha. He on the other hand is in magazine prison. 

Anju at one time tried his tactics to kill Roha in Galkissa court. However the attempt went blank because the two weapons were found in the process.  On seven occasions he tries to kill Roha inside magazine prison by injecting cyanide poison to him. For this purpose he even goes to the extent of arranging a hired murderer inside magazine prison; however his strategy fails because prison officers were able to get at the injection needle according to a tip off received by Intelligence unit of Western province. If not, a n underground criminal by the name of Roha will not come into police census. 

Angoda Lokka's gang by then had turned into a powerful gang by that time. Angoda Lokka gets prominence after the attack he carried out on the Kaluthara prison bus. Samayan was their rival. After Samayan's death Angoda Lokka disappears to India with Ladiya  for the sake of protection. Subsequently he conducts his gang from India. Among names appearing in the list of underground elements who are to be brought under control, Angoda Lokka's name is right on top. 

Jampettah Street Kudu Selsi's children too are presently in the company of Lokka and that is to take revenge on Pukudu Kana and Bumma who murdered his mother. Bumma happens to be a rehabilitated LTTE member for that matter. Bumma who was a skilful  gunman in Charles Anthony corps utilised for security of Velupillai Prabhakaran was in fact was nourished in criminal activities of Kosgoda Sujee. Bumm and Pukudikan has conflicts with Selsi's sons. The root cause for such clashes was heroin dealaings. As a result of such conflicts, Pukudiththa's father was murdered recently. Because of clashes on both sides, already six or seven have lost their lives. In the meantime it is learned that Bumma is involved in committing murder on a contract basis and it is on a contract basis that he murdered a member of Colombo municipality. Bumma and Pukudikanna are both engaged in homicide activities as well as heroin dealings both by staying in this country and India from time to time. Their mode of travel happens to be by boat. By now the majority of underground criminals in this country ar stationed in India. 

Apart from Ladiya, the most powerful underground criminal happens to be Kimbula Ela Guna. It is from India that he launches the strategy to carry out the murder of Douglas Nimal, officer in charge of anti corruption unit of Dematagoda police and his wife in gunning them down when in Athurugiriya Road. Most of the accomplices of Kimbula Ela Gune' s gang are now in India. Among them are Suresh as well as 'kota' Gamini. Incidentally 'kota' Gamini makes his escape to India after killing a former member of Western provincial council, Sunil Mendis. 

'Kota' Gamini has even targeted deputy inspector general of police, Mr. Priyantha Jayakody when the latter was director of Northern district crime division of Western province. According to information received, 'Kota' Gamini is presently in prison in India and that is because when he was planning to bring a stock of heroin to Sri Lanka for Kimbula Ela Guna he was apprehended by India central narcotics division. Prins Kolam who was regarded as a godfather of the underground dying at the foot of Bloemendal garbage dump mysteriously and subsequently his position was taken by Bloemendal Sankha and army Sampath. Even the two of them are now in India. Bloemendal Sankha was nabbed recently by Tamil Nadu police for having overstayed in India. Like Angoda Lokka he too is staying in that country in freedom without visa and that is with the aid of courts. 

Just as much as Sankha, army elements too are linked to a host of crimes in this country. After police operations went into action against the underground, both of them were in Dubai. They then arrive in this country with the shift of the government in this country. With their arrival, they become a target of Dematagoda Chaminda, another big pin in the underworld during the course of a political rally during the election period. Two innocent lives too were lost from a barrage of gun shots aimed at them in Kotahena. 

As a response to this action, Dematagoda Chaminda too faced a counter-attack on March 2016 and that was when a shooting incident was launched at the prison bus at Dematagoda junction which bus was bringing him to Welikada prison. On that occasion Dematagoda Chaminda faced injuries but nevertheless managed to save his life in the process. In any case he is a prisoner sentenced to death over the Lakshman Bharatha murder. Makilangamuwe Sanjeewa was imprisoned under suspicion of gun-sots aimed at Dematagoda Chaminda. In fact it was Makilangamuwe Sanjeewa who directs that attack on behalf of Bloemendal Sankha. This is revealed at inquiries made in that connection by terrorist investigation division. 

According to the police consensus is the only Muslim gang active under Kanjipani's leadership. Their bread and butter happens to be heroin dealings. Kanjipani at this moment is undergoing a 6 year jail term because of a marijuana case. He also was in Dubai for a period of time and that was in the company of Makandure Madush. He in fact had to return to this country as he was caught by Dubai police at Madush's daughter's birthday party. Kanjipani who was detained at Colombo crime division leaves to the prisons in the end after throwing a birthday party to officers of Colombo crime division. 

- Gayan Kumara Weerasingha -