A parcel containing 116 gemstones worth nearly Rs. 40 million has been stolen in Kalutara.

The parcel was stolen from the suitcase of a gem businessman in the Dehiwala area, while he was travelling in a bus from Colombo to Deiyandara.

The suspect, who was clueless about the gemstones inside the parcel, had left it inside the bus after stealing it and gotten off the vehicle from the Beruwala area.

Thereafter, the conductor of the bus in question picked up the parcel, took it home and hid it.

He has also removed the security camera system installed inside the bus and destroyed it by burning it, fearing that the theft would come to light.

Police stated that it was observed during the investigations that the suspect, who stole the parcel of gemstones at first, got off the bus nervously when it stopped at Beruwala town.

It was observed that he had run towards a medical centre nearby, without the parcel in his hands, the police mentioned.

Accordingly, the investigation officers had carried out further probes into the suspicions raised against the bus conductor in question.

Police have managed to find out the hidden gemstones parcel, during lengthy interrogations of the suspected bus conductor.

Kalutara Divisional Crimes Unit has arrested two individuals on suspicion of theft.

The arrestees, aged 48 and 36, have been identified as residents of Urubokka and Payagala.