Extortionists arrested

A gang who made threats over the phone and collected extortion money was arrested.

The Nelliyady police took three persons of the gang on the order made by the Pt. Pedro Magistrate on a secret complaint made by an Attorney-at-Law and a civilian.

A gang operating in Jaffna threatened to kill the traders, businessmen and opulent people of Jaffna peninsula over the phone pretending to be the army from Palaly camp and demanded large amount of money to deposit to an account number given by them. Some people paid the extortion money and those who could not pay the amount were living in fear and panic and have even left Jaffna thinking it is the work of the forces.

After collecting a certain amount they began to threaten the lawyers, teachers and doctors. Hence the entire Jaffna men were dismayed. The lawyers boycotted from attending cases. The troops and police made several efforts to arrest them and sought public assistance.

A Jaffna University student Radeepan was taken into custody when he threatened a doctor’s family for extortion money.  After that a person from Vadamaratchy was taken into custody. Subsequently a woman Savariammah, 26 years of Mannar Savarkaddai and two others in Mannar were arrested. They are being detained in the Anuradhapuram m prison. Rs. 250 thousand was found in their bank account and was ordered to frozen by the courts. The magistrate ordered to produce them in the courts on the 25th of October.