Army Lieutenant Colonel arrested for supplying ammunition to underworld

The Commanding Officer of the Sri Lanka Army camp in Palinagar, Mallavi, a Lieutenant Colonel, has been arrested by the Western Province North Crime Division for allegedly selling ammunition to an underworld figure.

Police said the officer had supplied a total of 260 rounds of T-56 ammunition in two separate transactions, 200 rounds and 60 rounds, to notorious underworld criminal “Commando Salintha” for Rs. 650,000.

The Lieutenant Colonel was arrested while serving as the commanding officer of the Palinagar camp and is currently in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Investigations have revealed that the officer previously served at the Commando Regiment Headquarters in Ganemulla in 2017, where Commando Salintha had also served under him. However, due to a disciplinary issue, he was later removed from the regiment and reassigned to the Light Infantry Regiment.

Meanwhile, a Sub-Inspector of Police attached to the Gampaha Division Crimes Investigation Unit was arrested by the CID in the Gampaha area. He is accused of maintaining close ties with underworld figure Mandinu Padmasiri Perera, widely known as Kehelbaddara Padme.

Police Spokesman ASP F. U. Wootler confirmed the arrests, noting the ongoing crackdown on organized crime figures and their associates.

On August 27, 2025, underworld figures Kehelbaddara Padme, Commando Salintha, Panadura Nilanga, Backhoe Saman, and Thembili Lahiru were arrested in Jakarta, Indonesia, and brought back to Sri Lanka on August 30, 2025.

At present, Kehelbaddara Padme, Commando Salintha, and Panadura Nilanga are being held and questioned by the CID under a 90-day detention order, while Backhoe Saman and Thembili Lahiru are being detained by the Western Province North Crimes Division.