‘Ava Group’ leader and 5 members arrested

The suspected leader of the criminal gang ‘Ava Group’ has been arrested along with 5 other gang members, police spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara told Ada Derana. 

Sathyavel Nathan Nishanthan, alias “Nisha Victor,” who is also the main suspect in the recent attack on two police officers in Kopai, was taken into custody by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID).  

He said that three suspects including Nishanthan were arrested at the bus stand in Pettah. One suspect was arrested in Mattakkuliya while the other two were nabbed in Jaffna.

Two swords and a motorcycle were also taken into custody, the police spokesman said. All six are suspects in the attack in Kopai. 

A series of acts of violence had been carried out in Jaffna suburbs such as Manipay, Kopay and Chunnakam by the sword-wielding Ava Group, believed to be inspired by South Indian films.

The gang in also believed to be behind the recent attack in Kopai. 

Two on-duty police officers attached to the Kopai Police Station were critically injured and hospitalized following a brutal attack carried out by a gang of individuals on motorcycles on July 30.