7 individuals including chief suspect of Kiriwehera shooting arrested

COLOMBO (News 1^st) - Police believe that the suspects who shot and wounded the Chief Incumbent of the Kataragama Kiriwehera, Venerable Kobawaka Dhamminda Thera, had been contracted to kill the thero for a sum of  Rs. 3 million. Five suspects who were taken into custody have been placed in remand custody on the orders of the Tissamaharama Magistrate's Court. Officers of the Tangalle Division Crimes Investigating Unit arrested the chief suspect in the shooting and two others in Pepiliyana last night. Among those arrested was Asela Bandara, who had previously functioned as the Sharman or Kapuwa, of the Mahasen Devalaya in Kiriwehera. According to the Police Media Spokesperson, SP Ruwan Gunasekara, a sister of the chief suspect resided in a house on that road and all three suspects were apprehended while they were traveling to this house. He noted that the other two were also believed to have aided and abetted the shooting. Two more suspects were arrested in Kataragama this afternoon. SP Ruwan Gunasekara added that the shooting was carried out by two men using two guns and one of them was arrested while in hiding at a Wadiya in Wallimathagama. Further, he stated that the second shooter, Galwala Gamage Hasan Anuradha, was taken into custody in the same area this afternoon.  The suspects were brought to the Kataragama Police at about 1:30 PM today (June 17) after being interrogated by the Tangalle Crime Division. The suspects were produced before the Tissamaharama Magistrate this afternoon. On the night of the 12^th of this month, Venerable Kobawaka Dhamminda Thera, and another monk who was accompanying him was shot and wounded near the Kiriwehera Chaithya. Ven. Dhamminda thero is making a steady recovery according to a spokesperson of the private hospital he is currently receiving treatment at.