Colombo (News 1st);  A wide manhunt is underway involving 06 Special Police Teams to locate and arrest 05 suspects including Kurunegala Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa Vitharana, against whom warrants were issued.

The investigations are carried out by the Senior Superintendent of Police.

On Monday (10) the Kurunegala Magistrate’s Court re-issued warrants for the arrest of the Kurunegala Mayor and 04 others with regard to the case filed over the demolition of a building in Kurunegala with archaeological value.

Warrants were re-issued through the Acting Inspector General of Police as well as the DIG and SP in-charge of Kurunegala by the Magistrate as the Kurunegala Police had failed to arrest the suspects.

The suspects named in the case are Kurunegala Mayor Thushara Sanjeewa Vitharana, Kurunegala Urban Commissioner Pradeep Nishantha Thilakeratne, Urban Engineer Chaminda Bandara, Work Superintendent Illaludeen Zulfikar and Backhoe loader operator Lakshman Priyantha.

Further, the Kurunegala Magistrate’s Court issued an order preventing the suspect from leaving the country.

In addition, Kurunegala Chief Magistrate Dhammika Hewawasam ordered an investigation to be carried out to identify those who are aiding the suspects to remain in hiding.

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