Victim blackmailed and killed for refusing to part with Rs 1 mn

Killing of Buddhist monk

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Sleuths investigating the recent abduction and the killing of 65-year-old Ven Uduwila Dharmasiri have recovered a file, a bank pass book and a diary belonging to the slain monk from a house situated in Makola North, police said.

Investigators are now looking for the owner of the house.

Police found the monk’s body in a cemetery in the Kotadeniyawa police area about 48 hours after he left his temple at Kodikanda, Thunmodara, Koswatta, on January 2 with a group of persons known to him.

They said that a van and three wheeler used by the group had been recovered and the investigators were on the trail of the owner of the Makola North house where the monk was killed.

Authoritative police sources said that the autopsy revealed that the monk died due to suffocation as a result of those who abducted him forcing a fabric in his mouth.

Among those so far arrested in connection with the incident were the mother and father of a novice monk who had been with Ven Dharmasiri at the same hospital. In addition to them, there were two other persons in custody, including the woman’s paramour. Produced before Avissawella Magistrate, on different days on Jan 5 and 6, they were remanded till January 19.

Sources said that investigations revealed that the woman, her husband and her paramour had blackmailed Ven Dharmasiri for more than a year. They had forced the monk to part with money periodically warning the police would be informed of him sexually assaulting the novice monk. Fearing the police, the monk had given in to the blackmailers and finally the victim refused to pay any more when he was asked to pay Rs 1 mn.

Those who visited the temple on January 2 had demanded that the monk accompany them or face the consequences.

Sources said that the monk had parted with a substantial amount of money over a year.