Police looking out for gang leader

Four youth were found shot and slashed to death allegedly by a rival group of underworld gangsters

Police said they were on the lookout for a southern province underworld gangster from Akmeemana in connection with the killing of four youth at Poddala on Sunday morning.

They said four suspects were in custody and that 18 statements had been recorded from the public and family members of the victims. Four youth identified as Amila Nishantha, Janaka Jayasekara, Anekapura Pushpakumara and Malik Nishantha were found shot and slashed to death allegedly by a rival group of underworld gangsters.

The bodies were stacked one on top of the other with their hands tied.

Police believe that they might have been killed to avenge the killing of Kumara Seneviratne who was slashed to death in Galle. Police Headquarters Police believe they may have been killed to avenge the killing of Kumara Seneviratne in Galle said the four youth were wanted in connection with the killing of Kumara Seneviratne, the brother of slain Galle Municipal Council Opposition Leader Dushyantha Seneviratne, who was killed in 2009 by an underworld gang.

Personnel from the Galle Police Division and Poddala Police Station are investigating the incident under the directions of Galle SSP Vaas Gunawardena.