The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is probing the brutal murder of businessman Dinesh Schaffter, the director of a leading insurance company in the country, Sri Lanka Police said in a statement.

The 51-year-old was found tied inside his vehicle at the General Cemetery in Borella last evening (Dec 15) and was rushed to the ICU of National Hospital in Colombo. He passed away while undergoing treatment.

The police believe that the victim had been abducted and taken to the Borella general cemetery.

Investigations had revealed that Mr. Schaffter had left home at Flower Road in Cinnamon Garden yesterday afternoon, informing his wife that he was going to meet an individual who owes him a large sum of money.

However, when his wife had attempted to call him a little while later, his mobile phone was disconnected. His wife had managed to trace the location of the mobile phone to near the Borealla cemetery while she had proceeded to inform an executive officer of the company due to a growing suspicion. 

The executive officer had informed police that when he arrived at the cemetery, he discovered the director tied up using zip ties and in the driving seat of his car with a tyre around his neck. 

Acting immediately, he had proceeded to free Mr. Schaffter from the bindings and remove the tyre from around his neck with the help of a labourer at the cemetery. He was subsequently rushed to the Colombo National Hospital.  

Police said that a labour worker at the cemetery had witnessed an unidentified person leaving from near the vicinity of the victim’s car.

A high-ranking police officer, speaking on conditions of anonymity, further said that a popular cricket commentator had obtained millions of rupees on loan from the businessman and that the latter had made three complaints to the CID regarding this.