Lanka crisis: Ruling party MP, PSO killed in violence
Colombo, May 9: A Sri Lankan parliamentarian of the ruling party of the Rajapakasas and his personal security officer were killed on Monday in clashes between anti- and pro-government protesters in the country.
Amarakeerthi Athukorala, a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP from the Polonnaruwa district, was surrounded by anti-government groups at the north western town of Nittambuwa, the police said.
The people said that gunfire came from his SUV, and when the angry mobs toppled the car, he fled and took refuge in a building and committed suicide by pulling his own revolver.
By the time he killed himself, thousands of people had surrounded the building.
Later, the lawmaker and his personal security officer were found dead, the police said.
The whole country erupted in violence after mobs supporting Mahinda Rajapaksa, who resigned as the Prime Minister, attacked peaceful protesters.
The public turned their wrath on the pro-Rajapaksa supporters as they were leaving the capital back home.
Their vehicles were stopped and attacked in most towns.
Mahinda Rajapaksa, 76, resigned hours after his supporters attacked anti-government protesters outside President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's office, leaving at least 174 people injured and prompting authorities to impose a nationwide curfew and deploy army troops in the capital.
Sri Lanka is currently in the throes of unprecedented economic turmoil since its independence from Britain in 1948. The crisis is caused in part by a lack of foreign currency, which has meant that the country cannot afford to pay for imports of staple foods and fuel, leading to acute shortages and very high prices.
Thousands of demonstrators have hit the streets across Sri Lanka since April 9 seeking resignation of President Gotabaya and Prime Minister Mahinda, as the government ran out of money for vital imports; prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed and there are acute shortages in fuel, medicines and electricity supply.
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Four held for Rs 33 lakh online investment fraud; interstate racket busted
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has busted an interstate cyber fraud syndicate involved in an online investment scam and arrested four persons, an official said on Saturday.
A crime branch team arrested the accused in a case where a victim was allegedly cheated of Rs 33.83 lakh on the pretext of lucrative returns through online trading platforms.
“Police said the accused lured victims with promises of high returns and later coerced them into depositing more money on the pretext of unlocking or withdrawing earlier investments,” the officer said.
Police said the racket operated across several states, including Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan, and used a network of mule bank accounts to route and layer the defrauded money to conceal its origin.
“During the investigation, the cheated amount was traced to 15 bank accounts. Thirteen of these accounts were registered outside Delhi, indicating the organised and interstate nature of the syndicate,” said the police officer.
The accused have been identified as Mohammad Khalid (26) and Atiur Rahman (23), both residents of Delhi, Ramandeep Singh (29) from Punjab, and Tanish alias Heera Ram (27) from Rajasthan.
According to the police, Khalid was arrested on March 15 and allegedly disclosed that he gave his bank account details and SIM card to a co-accused for a commission.
Rahman, who was already lodged in a jail in Haryana in a similar case, was later formally arrested. Ramandeep Singh was arrested on April 6 and allegedly admitted to sharing his account credentials for monetary gain.
Tanish was apprehended from Rajasthan on April 9 for facilitating the use of such accounts in the fraud network.
During the probe, officers analysed over 100 call detail records, IMEI data and transaction-related digital evidence to track the accused and establish the money trail.
Three mobile phones and SIM cards used in the crime have been recovered.
Further investigation is underway to identify other members of the syndicate and trace additional financial linkages, the police said.
