The controversy over the death of Sri Lankan drug kingpin Maddumage Chandana Lasantha Perera, more notoriously known as Angoda Lokka continues as the Sri Lankan Police claim it cannot confirm that the wanted criminal is in fact dead. During a press conference at the Police headquarters, yesterday Sri Lanka’s Police Spokesman SSP Jaliya Senaratne said it has not been confirmed if the underworld figure has in fact died. “According to information currently with us it has not been revealed if he has died, changed his name or he was in hiding in India,” he said.
However yesterday Indian Media confirmed his death after the Coimbatore Police said he had died in India during the month of July.
Indian Media said the Coimbatore Police had arrested three people who had assisted Angoda Lokka to obtain forged documents, including an Indian Aadhar card which is an Indian identification card, under the name of Pradeep Singh.
According to the Indian Police, Angoda Lokka had died in Coimbatore and his body had been cremated in Madurai in early July. His death was only revealed after a woman had approached the Police to get the necessary approvals to move his body to Madurai for cremation. The police during the investigation found that the Aadhaar card was obtained through forged documents and the deceased was Sri Lankan fugitive Lokka who was staying with Amani Thanji at Cheran Ma Nagar on Kalapatti road in Coimbatore.
The investigation also found that a woman from Madurai and a man from Tiruppur had helped Angoda Lokka and a Sri Lankan woman identified as Amani Thanji to forge documents and remain in Coimbatore, India illegally.
Amani Thanji (27) from Colombo, Sivakami Sundari a lawyer (36) from Madurai and S. Dyaneswaran (32) of Erode, currently residing in Tiruppur, was arrested by the Peelamedu police on Sunday (06). Coimbatore City Police Commissioner Sumit Sharan has said a detailed investigation is underway.
However during a press conference at the Police headquarters yesterday Sri Lanka’s Police Spokesman SSP Jaliya Senaratne said it has not been confirmed if the underworld figure has in fact died. “According to information currently with us it has not been revealed if he has died, changed his name or he was in hiding in India,” he said.
“Depending on the information revealed we will take the necessary court procedures and ensure he is arrested” Senaratne added. He also said the Police have taken necessary measures to approach the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka with regard to reports of the drug kingpins death in Coimbatore.
Angoda Lokka is considered to be the mastermind of the attack on a Prison bus in 2017 which killed seven people including underworld figure and rival Aruna Udayashantha alias Samayan. The Police had also recently uncovered that Angoda Lokka had been taking over land forcefully in order to be sold. He is also accused of more crimes including murder, drug dealing, and other criminal activities.
