The Puttalam Wildlife Control Unit said yesterday (04) that they arrested a millionaire businessman and two other suspects who were taking a cab from the middle of Petthigama Rajamaha Temple in Mahakumbukkadala after shooting a deer, along with the firearm used to shoot them.
Wildlife officials say that two suspects, including a millionaire businessman who owns a shrimp and prawn farm, have fled with two firearms and are working to arrest these two suspects.
The five suspects, including the three suspects who were arrested and the two absconding suspects, boarded a cab prepared for hunting purposes and went to hunt wild animals in the land belonging to the Rajamaha temple in Petthigama. Wild elephants have been arrested by wildlife officials who came to drive away herds of elephants.
Investigations have revealed that the arrested suspects and the escaped suspects have been hunting wild animals in the forest belonging to the Petthigama Rajamaha temple grounds.
The wildlife officers have been camping at the Petthigama Rajamaha temple for many days and say that the two millionaire businessmen who were arrested and escaped and other suspects were being hunted at the time of the wild elephants being chased away.
The villagers say that the millionaire businessman who has been arrested and the other two suspects are residents of Mahawewa Thoduawa and Mahakumbukkada.
At the same time, it is also said that the millionaire businessman who owns the madal and shrimp farm, who has escaped at the moment, is a resident of Mundalama area.
Wildlife officials say that the handprint of the arrested millionaire businessman is worth nearly 20 lakh rupees and he also had nearly 40,000 rupees in his possession.
However, the wildlife officials have seized an unlicensed firearm and six live ammunition and six blank ammunition related to the raid.
The arrested suspects are scheduled to be produced before the Anamaduwa Court.