The background of 'Bus Laliya', the conductor who rocked Hanwella

Lalith Kannangara, also known as 'Bus Laliya', a leader of an organized crime gang arrested in Dubai, is scheduled to be brought to Sri Lanka on the 25th. A team of special police officers from the Colombo Central Criminal Investigation Department departed for Dubai on the 21st to bring him to the country.

This suspect, for whom even red notices had been issued by Interpol, was arrested by Dubai Police in October last year. Arrangements have been made to bring him to Sri Lanka with the intervention of Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala and Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasuriya.

The Central Criminal Investigation Department, in an operation conducted with the Dubai Police several months ago, arrested this suspect and held him with the Dubai Police. It was agreed that he would be handed over to Sri Lanka after legal proceedings in that country.

A team of officers, led by Senior Superintendent of Police Kamal Ariyawansa of the Central Criminal Investigation Department, has gone to Dubai to bring the suspect, acting on the instructions of Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Ranmal Kodithuwakku and Deputy Inspector General of Police Chandana Kodithuwakku.

Police information states that he was named 'Bus Laliya' because he started his career as a private bus conductor. He has been identified as a key suspect involved in numerous crimes, including 8 murders, attempted murders, and extortion. Accordingly, he has been accused of shooting and killing private bus owner Vajira Nishantha in 2024, killing two businessmen in the Hanwella area in 2022 and 2023, and killing underworld leader Manju alias Roshan and one of his associates.

Additionally, he is accused of shooting and killing Chinthaka Kudaligama, a former member of the Homagama Pradeshiya Sabha and a businessman, on August 12, 2025. Furthermore, he is said to be connected to the incident on July 6, 2025, where an attempt was made to shoot and kill Dehiwala Ruwan, another underworld gang leader, and his associate at a nightclub in Colombo.

Police state that Lalith Kannangara killed Shanta Mudunkotuwa alias 'Dhana', a former member of the Homagama Pradeshiya Sabha. He is also accused of shooting and killing a person whom Lalith Kannangara had invited to his home when he was unemployed, given a job as a bus conductor, and kept at his house, because the person failed to pay extortion money.

While hiding in Dubai, he arranged for his associates to extort millions of rupees from wealthy businessmen in the Hanwella, Meegoda, and Kosgama areas. It has also been revealed that some wealthy businessmen in these areas, facing threats and intimidation from this crime gang, had even abandoned their businesses and homes and moved to other areas.

It is reported that this suspect's wife and two children are living a luxurious life in a super house in Dubai. Two other underworld gang leaders, 'Konda Ranji' and 'Wanathe Wathu', have also been arrested by the police in that country along with him. Furthermore, many of Bus Laliya's associates in Sri Lanka have been arrested by officers of the Western South Criminal Investigation Department recently.

It was reported in October 2025 that the people in Hanwella, Homagama, and Kaduwela areas were greatly pleased with the arrest of the organized criminal 'Bus Laliya' in Dubai. It is stated that residents even put up posters throughout these areas expressing their happiness and thanking the government, including the security forces.