The Horana Police arrested a gang of four who attempted to extort Rs. 5 lakhs from a private bus owner. The suspects, according to Police, had threatened to bomb and destroy the bus if the money was not paid.

After the owner complained to the Police he had asked the suspects to come near the water tank at at Elakande in Wattala on Saturday to handover the ransom money. Police in civies waited till the extortionists arrived near the water tank and arrested them when they accepted the money.

Several other private bus owners said they were forced to pay Rs 200 a day as ransom to these suspects for several years.