Police arrest four suspects over constable killing

Search continues for more

Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of a Police Constable in Tangalle.

The suspects are three males and a female, Police said yesterday. The arrests came after a group of persons beat a police officer to death at Vitharandeniya, Tangalle on Wednesday (17) night over a longstanding land dispute.

The victim’s wife and younger brother were also assaulted by the perpetrators. The brother has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital with serious injuries.

The deceased Constable was identified as Chathuranga Dilshan (34). He was attached to the Police post at Kasagala Interchange on the Southern Expressway.

The Constable’s family had been involved in a land dispute with a woman of a neighbouring property and the owner of a nearby hotel. According to reports, about 15 individuals were involved in the attack on the victim’s house on Wednesday.

Police are searching for at least 11 other suspects, including the main suspect, the hotel owner. Meanwhile, in a possible retaliatory attack, an unidentified group had attacked and set fire to the residence of the female suspect and the hotel of the main suspect on Thursday night.