The police have arrested an armed gang alleged to have been involved in a series of robberies and at least five killings.

Police investigators have recovered a stock of arms from the gang.

A senior police official said that the gang had been involved in about 70 robberies and five cases of extortion.

Acting on information regarding an attempt to extort Rs. 500,000 from parents of an abducted student, the police had swooped down on the gang, the official said. The 17-year-old boy had been abducted about a month ago. The parents had managed to secure his release by paying Rs. 100,000.

The police had swung into action after DIG Ravi Wijegoonewardene in charge of the Vavuniya area, received a tip off. According to police, the gangsters had been formerly with the LTTE and carried out several attacks, including the killing of a school principal and two home guards.