by Kalinga Weerakkody

Peradeniya — Peradeniya police in a round-up carried out last week arrested two drug addicts who had been stealing valuables and cash worth around Rs. six lakhs and a jewellery shop owner who had allegedly purchased valuables from the suspects.

OIC Peradeniya police M. S. Bowala told ‘The Island’ that the two drug addicts were wanted in connection with 33 house breakings in the areas of Peradeniya, Kadugannawa, Kandy, Katugasthota and Manikhinna.

The duo had been involved in robberies from 1998 but no police station was able to arrest them.

The two suspects had been identified as Nalaka Gunaratne (28) and Pradeep Samaranayake (28).

The jewellery shop owner had been identified as S. Loganadan.

Police had recovered 15 sovereigns from the suspects’ possession. Investigations had revealed that another 78 sovereigns had been melted earlier by the jewellery shop owner to manufacture gold jewellery.

Police said the modus-operandi of the suspects had been to enter houses in the day time after breaking the front door of the houses using huge granite stones.

All the suspects had been produced before the Acting Judge (Kandy) Pradeep Hettiarachchi.

Slave Island - Slave Island police investigating the recovery of a body from the Beira Lake on Sunday afternoon had not been able to identify the person. OIC (Crimes) Slave Island police, IP Banduthilaka told ‘The Island’ that the acting Magistrate of Maligakande had ordered that the dead body should be kept in the police mortuary for 14 days until it is identified.

Ahungalla — Two people were killed and another four were injured in a van-lorry collision which occurred on Sunday around 3.30 p.m. on Galle road in the Pathegama area.

OIC (Traffic) Ahungalla police D. Godage told ‘The Island’ that at the time of the incident four persons had been travelling in the van towards Colombo.

The two persons killed were a passenger travelling in the van and its driver identified as Amila Tharaka (24) of Walipanna.

The four injured, namely two who travelled in the van and two who were in the lorry are being treated at the Karapitiya hospital.