The wife of ‘Habarakada Wasantha’, a suspect evading arrested following the recent jewellery shop robbery in Matara, has been arrested with a revolver and live ammunition, the Police Spokesman said. 

He stated that the firearm and bullets were found after Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel searched the house of the wanted suspect in Homagama.

Following investigation into the incident, police had identified ‘Habarakada Wasantha’ as one of the suspects involved in the robbery and the shootout which had followed. 

Police teams were deployed in search of the suspects while his residence in Homagama was searched following information received that he was hiding there. 

Although the suspect was not found at the location, police did find a revolver which is suspected to have been used in the Matara shooting, four live ammunition and 2 empty bullet shells. 

The suspect’s wife who was at the house at the time was arrested as the firearm and bullets were hidden inside the home with her knowledge, the police spokesman said.  

One police officer was killed, two other police officers and two civilians were injured and hospitalised following the shootout outside a jewellery shop in the Matara town, between several armed men wearing helmets who were robbing the store and policemen on June 22.

Four suspects were arrested over the incident. However one of them, the main suspect, Chamara Indrajith Jayasundara, was shot and killed by police officers when he allegedly attempted to hurl a grenade at them during the search for a hidden bag.

The other three arrested suspects include Dharmakeerthi Tharaka Perera Wijesekara a.k.a ‘Kosgoda Tharaka’, his brother Dharmakeerthi Maduka Nirmal Perera Wijesekara and Irandeniya Athula Kithsiri Kumara.