TREASURE HUNTERS LOOKING FOR ROYAL REGALIA ESCAPE ARREST

Treasure hunters attempting to dig up treasure in Lulkandura forest reserve at Deltota in the belief that the last king of Sri Lanka, Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe had buried the regalia of the royal family before fleeing to Hanguranketha leaving the kingdom to the British invaders.

Galaha police raided the forest reserve to arrest the suspects and seized two uniforms similar to those used by the army, 13kilos of explosives, two pistols, the robes of a Buddhist monk and a stock of tools and equipment including gas cylinders, grinders, and detonators. However the suspects had escaped on the arrival of the police.

Investigations revealed that the suspects had attempted to blast an ancient stone erection covering a hallow in a rock covered with thick jungle about four kilometres away from the road. Police had made a long trek through hard terrain to reach the location.

A senior police official said the suspects would have noticed the police from the rock overlooking the surrounding area. He said the suspects had erected huts for their long stay at the location and had reportedly performed animal sacrifices.

Galaha Police OIC Chief Inspector K.M.R.S. Konara, Inspector T.R. Thalwatta, SI Abeyratne, SI Samarajeewa, SI Ratnayake, Sergeants 32535 Weersinghem 54619 Jayasinghe, PCS 57844 Herath, 42270 Sirinimal, 71124 Wickremesinghe, and 80563 Gunawardene carried out the raid on the instructions of SP Chulani Weeraratne and SSP Shriyantha Peiris.