Akuregoda Update: The white man said to shoot anyone who wants the vehicle - 'Mahason Kaluwa' spills everything.

Police have arrested a key suspect in connection with the double murder of lawyer Gayan Buddhika Mallawarachchi and his wife, who were shot dead while seated in their car in the parking lot of a Keells supermarket in Akuregoda. The arrested individual is a 46-year-old former army soldier named Sunil Ranjith, also known as 'Mahason Kaluwa', a resident of Aluthwela Ampegama, Gonapinuwala, who is believed to have fired a T-56 assault rifle.

The suspect legally left the army in 2009 under a general amnesty, and police have confirmed that he is severely addicted to drugs.

This arrest was a more complex process than merely apprehending an ordinary criminal, and it is revealing much information to society about the operations of the organized underworld network behind it and their inhumane plans.

Sunil Ranjith of Gonapinuwala, who was taken into police custody, is widely known among locals by his alias 'Mahason Kaluwa'. He is a former soldier who previously served in the Sri Lanka Army and legally left military service during the general amnesty period granted in 2009. However, after leaving the army, he became severely addicted to various drugs, including 'Ice'. According to villagers' information, he has been involved in drug trafficking and petty thefts in the area. Although he had previously faced charges for robberies, bank robberies, and illegal possession of T-56 firearms, his direct involvement in serious crimes like murder had not been confirmed until now.

Police investigations have clearly revealed that this double murder was not an isolated incident but was orchestrated by powerful underworld leaders residing abroad. Specifically, 'Karandeniya Sudda' and 'Malwane Tutu', considered prominent underworld gang leaders from the South hiding in Dubai, have been identified as the main masterminds behind this crime. It has also been revealed that the connection between the arrested shooter and Karandeniya Sudda was formed during their time serving in the army. They maintained a close relationship, to the extent that the shooter could directly call Karandeniya Sudda on the phone, and it has been uncovered that Karandeniya Sudda had been facilitating the shooter's drug needs for a long time.

Malwane Tutu and Karandeniya Sudda had given clear instructions to the shooters to kill not only the lawyer in the car but anyone present in the vehicle at that moment. However, the main shooter did not definitively know at the time of the crime that he was going to shoot a lawyer, or specifically Mr. Buddhika Mallawarachchi. For executing this inhumane contract, Karandeniya Sudda provided him with one hundred thousand rupees and 'Ice' drugs. The shooter's own confession has confirmed that he carried out this attack while heavily intoxicated after consuming those drugs.

Following the report of this incident, approximately 12 special police investigation teams were promptly deployed to solve the crime, under the direct orders of the Inspector General of Police. Additionally, assistance from officers of the Criminal Investigation Department was obtained for these operations. Subsequently, Deputy Inspector General of Police Samantha Wijesekera, in charge of Colombo South, assigned the arduous task of finding the shooters to the Homagama Divisional Criminal Investigation Unit. Accordingly, a team led by Chief Inspector Amila Govinna and Inspector R.N.A. Chathuranga, under the full direction of Senior Superintendent of Police Chandana Liyanage, in charge of the Homagama Division, commenced these investigations.

Through intelligence information and technical analysis received by the police teams, strong suspicion arose regarding one specific individual. Acting on this, police officers went to Ethkandura, Kahaduwa, and extensively questioned the suspect's elder sister. During the questioning, the police showed her a photograph, which she confirmed was her brother. The photograph showed him leaning against an 'FZ' type motorcycle. The police then inquired about his whereabouts from the sister, who, unaware of the true situation, stated that he was working in a cinnamon estate belonging to someone who had worked in Dubai.

Acting swiftly on this information, the police team immediately proceeded to the said cinnamon estate in Delduwa, Ambalangoda. Upon their arrival, the young owner of the land, who had returned from Dubai about three years ago, was not present, but the police observed the 'FZ' type motorcycle shown in the photograph parked in front of the house. Through this, the officers confirmed that the suspect was indeed staying at that location and further corroborated the information by showing the photograph to workers in the vicinity. Thereafter, with great patience, the police team, hidden and on guard in the jungle area, meticulously apprehended the suspect around 6:00 PM when he came to fetch water. At the time of his arrest, he made no attempt to flee and, greatly surprised and terrified, immediately confessed to all his wrongdoings, admitting that he had fired the T-56 firearm.

At the time of the incident, one shooter fired indiscriminately with a T-56 automatic firearm, while the other shooter carried out the attack using a pistol. The arrested individual handled the T-56 firearm, which was brought to the Colombo area and given to him on the 12th of last month. He also informed the police that after committing the crime, the firearm was handed over to another party while fleeing. Meanwhile, when the police showed him a sketch of the other shooter created using Artificial Intelligence (AI), he confirmed that a person with such an appearance was with him, but stated that he did not definitively know his identity. However, the police have now identified the other shooter, who fired the pistol, as a resident of Ratnapura, and information has been received that he is also connected to the shooting incident involving Hiran Kokila in Ambalangoda on December 21st. The Police Special Task Force has already launched massive search operations in the Ratnapura area to apprehend him.

After the crime, the suspect returned to the Ambalangoda area by bus as usual and engaged in cinnamon peeling duties as if nothing had happened. A modern mobile phone was also taken into police custody from him, and it has been confirmed that he continuously communicated with Sudda and Tutu, who are hiding in Dubai, through this phone before and after the murder. The police strongly believe that by analyzing this phone data, a lot more important information related to the crime, as well as other accomplices, can be brought to justice in the future. Currently, the suspect arrested by Homagama Police has been handed over to the Western Province South Criminal Investigation Division for further investigations, where he is being further detained and questioned.

Meanwhile, several other individuals connected to this criminal network have also been taken into police custody. W.A. Sisitha Dilhara, a 21-year-old who transported the two shooters from Kadawatha to Aluthwela Kahaduwa in a car, fled to Thailand via Katunayake Airport on the 16th. All necessary facilities for him to escape the country were provided through the direct intervention of Karandeniya Sudda. However, the police managed to locate the driver who took this young man to the airport and the car used for that purpose, hidden in a house in the Kahaduwa area. In addition, five people, including Sisitha's mother, grandmother, and another relative, who fled to Thailand, have been arrested by the Police Special Task Force on charges of aiding, abetting, and conspiring in the murder, and handed over to the Western South Criminal Division. With this, the total number of suspects arrested in connection with this case has risen to nine.

Furthermore, in parallel with this series of events, the police have also initiated new investigations into another crime planned to target an individual named 'Delight'. A vehicle suspected to have been used for this purpose was found abandoned in the Devundara area, and the criminals had also attempted to set it on fire and destroy it. The police are conducting investigations into all these interconnected incidents with close attention. Surprisingly, the main shooter has shown no remorse or mental breakdown regarding his inhumane act. Even though he saw the seriousness of the murder he committed through television news, he was confident that no one would recognize him as he was dressed in normal clothes.