Minister of Law and Order and Southern Development Sagala Ratnayake says that 62 suspected members of the criminal gang ‘Ava Group’ have been identified and that 38 of them have been arrested so far.
Responding to a question from JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Parliament today (15), he said that the sword-wielding gang had got down its first sword from Brazil via India and that afterwards they had manufactured several similar sword by themselves.
Ratnayake said that investigations are ongoing to arrest 8 more individuals, who are suspected to be key members of the criminal gang.
Meanwhile it has been uncovered that a Tamil youth who had previously worked for the army is among the suspects arrested so far and has been remanded.
State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardena says that claims that the Ava Group has connections with the army cannot be completely ignored.
Acts of violence have recently increased in Jaffna suburbs such as Manipay, Kopay and Chunnakam by the sword-wielding Ava Group, believed to be inspired by South Indian films.
