The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested two suspects in connection with the stealing of the well-known monument known as Sandagala, weighing more than 1,000 kilos from the Kundasale Udamaluwa Archaeological Reserve.
Police information stated that the two arrested suspects are the driver and the assistant of the vehicle used to carry the stolen Sandagala.
One suspect is a resident of Divulapitiya and the other suspect is a resident of Heerassagala, Kandy. The Criminal Investigation Department has revealed that on December 14, when this theft took place, a group of people had gone to the Kundasale Udamaluwa Archaeological Reserve on two motorcycles, a canter type vehicle, a boom truck and a Defender jeep. Information on some with political connections among this group has been received that one of them is a member of a Pradeshiya Sabha. Investigations carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department have revealed that the boom truck loaded with the Sadagala had
remained in the garage of a millionaire businessman from Pallekelle for more than 24 hours.
During that time, the Criminal Investigations Department has paid special attention to the phone calls received by the businessman from various people as well as those who visited the house.
There is no definite information as to where the stolen Sadagala has been hidden so far, and information received by the Criminal Investigation Department reveals it may have been taken to Colombo.
Inspector General C. D.Wickremeratne recently handed over the investigation into the stealing of the monument to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
During investigations carried out up to now, it has been revealed that this theft took place on December 14 night under the protection of a group of people who arrived at the venue in a Defender jeep. The Sandagala monument had been loaded into a boom truck and even the owner of the Defender vehicle which went with the truck has been identified as of now, sources said. It is said that the Defender is registered under the name of a woman. Police internal information said that, this Defender still remains in Kandy.
The site of this archaeological monument, which was stolen during the night, is said to be the site of the palace of Sri Weera Parakrama Narendrasingha, the last Sinhalese king who ruled the Kundasale Kingdom of Kandy for 32 years from 1707 to 1739 AD. This monument, named Sanadagala which was at the Kundasale Udamaluwa Archaeological Reserve had been about four feet in length and three feet in height.
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