‘Club Wasantha’ murder: More than 95% of investigations completed - Police

Sri Lanka Police says that more than 95% of the investigation activities into the recent killing of two persons including businessman Surendra Wasantha Perera, also known as ‘Club Wasantha’, have been completed thus far.

Speaking to the media, Police Media Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa stated that accordingly 17 individuals including a woman have been arrested so far, in connection with the shooting incident, which killed 2 persons, while injuring four others in the Athurugiriya area on July 08.

Additionally, DIG Thalduwa also highlighted that all the main suspects including the two gunmen related to the case have already been identified, and taken into custody.

The police media spokesman further expressed that however, further investigations are still underway regarding the case since a ‘foreign involvement’ has been observed in connection to the incident.

DIG Thalduwa elaborated that the individuals suspected to have been involved in this murder, who are currently hiding overseas, may have been linked with international crime gangs or drug networks.

On Wednesday (28), the second gunman and the car driver wanted in connection with the murder, was arrested by the Panadura Police Divisional Crimes Detective Bureau at Pinwaththa in Panadura.

The arrested suspects are reportedly aged 29 and 32 while they are residents of Nagoda and Ahugalla areas.

The Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) on Friday (23) had arrested one of the suspected gunmen involved in the recent killing of ‘Club Wasantha’ in the Athurugiriya area.

The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Patty Arambage Ajith Rohana, was apprehended by the TID in the Kawdana area of Dehiwala. 

During the operation, a T-56 assault rifle, 120 rounds of ammunition, and a stock of 9mm pistol bullets were also seized, according to Police.

Additionally, another suspect, 29-year-old Tharukara Varuna Indika de Silva, who had aided and abetted by renting a house in Athurugiriya and transporting the shooters to Kataragama in a bus, was also arrested.

Police had previously arrested 11 suspects, including a female in connection with the shooting and killing of two persons including ‘Club Wasantha’ at a tattoo studio in Athurigiriya, while they were further remanded until September 02 by the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court recently.

Police had arrested eleven suspects including the owner of the tattoo studio in Athurugiriya where the shooting incident took place on July 08 and a 21-year-old female on suspicion of having aided and abetted in the shooting incident.

During the investigations carried out thus far, it has been revealed that the owner of the tattoo studio has received an amount of Rs. 1 million over a period of time.

The shocking shooting incident had occurred during the opening ceremony of a tattoo and piercing studio near the Clock Tower in Athurugiriya on July 08.

Six people were rushed to the hospital following the incident. Police later confirmed that 55-year-old businessman Surendra Wasantha Perera, popularly known as “Club Wasantha,” and a 38-year-old male had succumbed to their injuries.

Popular singer K. Sujeewa and Wasantha’s wife were reported to be among the four injured persons.

In the course of the investigation, the police discovered the van used by the suspects in an abandoned land in Bulathsinhala area. Additionally, the car used by the suspects to carry out the shooting was found abandoned in Kaduwela.