(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The nine suspects arrested on charges of killing the tusker Dala Poottuwa were remanded till December 26 by the Mahawa Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Among the nine suspects currently detained in connection with the incident are three Grama Niladhari’s. The magistrate also rejected a request to bring the tusks and the elephant pearls currently in the custody of courts to Colombo for investigations.
The killing of the tusker came to light when two elephant tusks were seized at Polpithigama in Nikawewa by officers of the Panadura Walana Anti Vice Squad recently. The seizing of the two tusks and six elephant pearls (Gaja Muthu) shed light into the disappearance of the tusker Dala Poottuwa in Galgamuwa as a search for the tusker carried out by Wildlife officials had drawn a blank.
There had been no trace of the elephant since it was last seen on the banks of the Herathgama Wewa in Moragollagama on October 16. The tusker had lost vision in both eyes and had some debility on its left hind leg. Wildlife officials and the Police later arrested the eight suspects after interrogating the persons arrested in connections with the detections of the tusks. They also found the carcass of the tusker inside the jungle.
