Brutal killing in city hotel adds to increasing incidents of crime

Two weeks ago a businessman from Sapugaskanda off Kelaniya received several calls demanding Rs. two million as ‘protection money’. He decided to pay the money only after receiving a call threatening him with death. The businessman had however bargained with the caller and had agreed to pay half a million rupees at a location close to Sapugaskanda town. But what the extortionists were unaware of was that a number of policemen were laying in wait for them.

Last Wednesday, as the transaction took place police in civvies swooped on them. In a few hours the two suspects both in their mid-20s had revealed the details of the operation.

According to police they were being directed by a man serving a prison term at the Welikada prisons. Apparently, he would scan newspaper advertisements for telephone numbers. He would then call the owners and warn them that he would be sending two people to collect the money or demand that the money be credited to a bank account.

This extortion incident was one of many crimes reported this week.

In a more brutal incident, a woman, recently returned from London was found killed in a room of a leading hotel in Kollupitiya. The suspect the woman’s husband was arrested.

According to police the victim Kanagasabai Sudharshini (48) and Sinnathurai Ganachandran (48) got married on February 19 and had booked in at the hotel on February 23. They were staying in room one on the first floor. The woman’s body was found on February 28 and the suspect was arrested the next day. Police believe the woman had been killed about two or three days before the body was detected.

Police said the suspect had stabbed his wife following several arguments regarding their return to London.

“We are carrying out further inquiries into this incident,” Officer in Charge of the Kollupitiya police Mangala Dehideniya told the Sunday Times.

In Matale police found the body of a woman in- side a well. Police said the woman was pregnant.

Last year, according to Police statistics at least 662 murders, 1,700 rape cases and more than 5, 900 robberies were reported.

Police Spokesman Ajith Rohana said although crimes in general saw a drop in 2011 compared to 2010, what was disturbing was that the incidents of brutal crimes have increased.

In 2010, 760 murders, 1800 cases of rape and 6,600 cases of robbery were reported he said.

In January alone this year, at least 55 murders, 142 cases of rape and 558 cases of robberies have been reported.

According to SP Rohana these killings were mainly the result of sudden anger, personal disputes and rivalry.

He also attributed the high number of cases of child rape to inadequate parental attention on children.

However, residents mostly in Colombo and suburbs have expressed concern about the spate of robberies that continue to be reported.