'Batu Meeya' Arrested on Suspicion of Ambalangoda Meerantha Murder

 Anura Pushpakumara, alias 'Batu Meeya', who is said to have provided firearms for the murder of the chairman of the Ambalangoda Modara Devalaya Committee, has been arrested by officers of the Galle District Crime Division. While he was detained at Boossa Prison

he was arrested in this manner while being presented to the Aluthkade Magistrate's Court in connection with another case, and was coming out after being granted bail there.

Mr. Mirantha Warusawithana, who was the chairman of the Ambalangoda Modara Devalaya Committee and also considered an underworld figure, the brother-in-law of Karandeniya Sudda, was shot dead near the Ambalangoda Urban Council on November 04th.

Interrogations of suspects previously arrested in connection with this murder have revealed that 'Loku Pati', an underworld member currently held at Boossa Prison, orchestrated the killing. Police have uncovered that 'Batu Meeya', a relative of Loku Pati who was already imprisoned on a murder charge, supplied the necessary firearms for it.

Although the suspect had been granted bail three months prior in connection with another murder charge, he remained in prison due to not fulfilling the bail conditions. The Galle District Crime Division received information that the suspect was preparing to fulfill the bail conditions and be released from court. Accordingly, a team of police officers who were in Colombo for another investigation lay in wait near the Aluthkade court premises and arrested the suspect when he emerged.

At the time of his arrest, the suspect had told his lawyer that a group had come to abduct him. After the arrested suspect was produced before the Balapitiya Magistrate's Court today (13) afternoon, the police were granted permission to detain and interrogate him.