• IP wanted in 2024 W15 shooting arrested 

Police have arrested a suspected contract killer who had allegedly accepted a contract to assassinate a Police informant who provided the tip-off for a large-scale narcotics seizure and to place the victim’s severed head in front of the residence of ASP Rohan Olugala, who led that investigation. The suspect in question was arrested by officers attached to the Police Western Province North Crime Division.

On 12 November 2025, the Division conducted an operation at Kirinda Beach, resulting in the seizure of a drug haul of around 350 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (Ice). 

The raid, carried out following intelligence received by the Director of the Unit, Olugala, also led to the arrest of seven suspects involved in trafficking drugs. Investigations revealed that the seized narcotics allegedly belonged to an organised drug trafficker currently hiding in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, known by the alias Angoda Priyantha. Following the seizure of the narcotics consignment by the Police, the said drug trafficker had reportedly harbored a vendetta.

Reports indicate the drug trafficker had later identified the individual who provided the tip-off to Olugala. After uncovering the informant’s identity, Angoda Priyantha allegedly contracted a certain criminal gang to assassinate him (the Police informant) and deliver his severed head to Olugala’s residence.  Upon learning that organised crime elements were tracking his movements, the informant had reportedly fled his residence.

Acting on specific information received by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Western Province North, Kalinga Jayasinghe, Police officers intercepted and arrested the contract killer. During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to details of the planned assassination.

Meanwhile, former Police Inspector (IP) Jagath Nishantha, who was wanted over the 2024 shooting incident near the W15 Hotel in Weligama and had fled overseas, was arrested on Monday (23) upon returning to Sri Lanka, the Police said. 

The Matara Magistrate’s Court had previously ordered the arrest of eight former officers of the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), including the former Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon, and to name them as suspects in the shooting incident that took place in front of the said Hotel in the Pelena area of Weligama, Matara on 31 December 2023. 

On 31 December 2023, a team of officers from the CCD had traveled to the Weligama area, allegedly with the intention of arresting a group of individuals associated with the organised crime suspect Nadun Chinthaka Wickremeratne alias ‘Harak Kata’. According to the Police, officers in civilian attire were attacked from within the Hotel, prompting them to open fire in response.  

Subsequently, a mobile patrol vehicle from the Weligama Police Station arrived at the scene and opened fire on the van in which the CCD officers had arrived.  This action was taken due to a misunderstanding, as the Weligama Police officers mistakenly believed that the van was transporting criminals. As a result of the incident, the van left the location; however, by that time, two CCD officers inside had sustained gunshot wounds. One of the injured officers, 47-year-old Police Sergeant Upul Chaminda Kumara of the CCD, later succumbed to his injuries while receiving medical treatment.