Four arrested for abducting businessman in Tissamaharama

Four men including a deserter were taken into custody for abducting a businessman in Tissamaharama while they were accepting the extortion money amounting to Rs.l.5 million from the gem merchant’s family.

The abduction took place last Thursday when the businessman was on his way to Tissamaharama town on his motorbike, police media spokesman SP Ajith Rohana said. Police suspect that the victim was taken in a trishaw to an area bordering Weerawila-bundala, the police said. The suspects had given several calls to his younger brother and had initially asked for a ransom of Rs.3.5 million.

On being told by the brother that he did not possess the money to pay them this amount they had told him to bring it to them in two installments. As his brother did not have Rs. 1.5 million to pay the kidnappers he had borrowed the money from a friend. An army deserter who arrived to collect the ransom money had been nabbed by the Tangalle Division Crime Investigations Unit who set up a sting operation to trap the kidnappers. However, the police were unable to capture the other three kidnappers as they had escaped after hearing of the sting operation launched to capture them but were later captured after hiding in the same area. A galkatas, a trishaw, two motorbikes and several knives were found in their possession at the time of the arrest.

The businessman was rescued and was admitted to the Hambantota Hospital for treatment.