The Police have arrested the driver and the owner of a defender which knocked down the Borella Traffic OIC at Bambalapitiya, stated Police Media Spokesperson.

The two suspects had surrendered to the police when the police had discovered the Defender (WP FZ-9143) in Pelawatte, Battaramulla yesterday (24). The police had discovered the vehicle at No 727, Pagoda Garden in Pelawatte, via investigations conducted using CCTV footage of the accident. 

The arrested driver is a 27-year-old named Ratnayake Mudiyanselage Navidu Omesh Ratnayake from Malabe while the owner of the Defender is also a 27-year-old named Ranchigoda Arachchige Visitha Sri Wijesekara from Colombo 03.

The police have also recorded a statement from UPFA Parliamentarian Mahindananda Aluthgamage’s son, who is reported to have been traveling on the defender when the accident occurred.

Meanwhile, two other persons, including the driver of a Prado vehicle which had arrived with the Defender, have been arrested after surrendering to the Bambalapitiya Police last night.

The arrestees are the driver, aged 28, Duminda Sudammika Atigala from Colombo 03 and the owner of the Prado, 23-year-old Kiran Matthew Dannis from Pepiliyana.

It has been revealed that the Prado had driven by the son of renowned businessman Dammika Atigala.

Reportedly, 07 passengers, including the driver and a female had been traveling on the Defender while 03 passengers had been on the Prado.

All 04 suspects are set to be produced before the Aluthkade No 3 magistrate court today (25).

The Traffic OIC of the Borella Police, who had been en route to the Kollupitiya Police, had met with an accident when the motorcycle he was riding was hit by a Defender in Bambalapitiya, at around 4.35 am last morning (24).

The OIC was critically injured in the accident and was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital. He is currently receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).