Three arrested for slaughtering over 100 stolen cattle

The Pannala Police has arrested three people who slaughtered more than 100 stolen cattle for meat in a period of six months in several parts of the country.

The three suspects confessed to roaming the country in a van looking for cattle which could be easily stolen without arousing the attention of the owners.

The suspects had killed the cattle at the same location they found them, mostly at night and had left the skeleton while taking the meat with them. Investigations have revealed that more than 100 cows were slaughtered during a six month period.

The Pannala Police say that the three suspects had slaughtered cattle in the Dambulla, Muttur, Monaragala, Talaimannar, Minuwangoda, Kurunegala, Nikaweratiya, Puttalam, Chilaw and Anuradhapura areas.Investigations have also revealed that the suspects were selling the meat to two meat stalls in Panadura and Peliyagoda.

Police have also arrested the two owners of these meat stalls.

A Senior Police officer said that it was possible to arrest the suspects due to the vigilance of Pannala Police Sergeant Samaratunga and Police Constable Wasantha who were on mobile patrol duty at night.

These two Police officers had seen a suspicious minivan halted near the Pannala Super market at night and checked the identity of the people staying there.

The Police officers became suspicious after getting a bad smell emanating from the minivan and had called the OIC of the police station for more assistance. According to Police, when the OIC and a group of officers had tried to inspect the van, one person had threatened the Police officers with a knife which made the Police officers overpower the man and arrest the three suspects.

Police also found 16 grams and 500 milligrams of heroin and three hand grenades in the van.When the suspects were taken to the Police station and interrogated, it was revealed that the three of them were addicted to drugs and were selling meat to buy drugs.