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(Reproduced
from the Daily News of January 31, 2003) The Kataragama Police are conducting investigations into the killing of Wildlife Game Ranger M. K. C. Kumarasinghe (31) in Diriwige Ara in Block 3 of the Yala National Park on Tuesday night. Kumarasinghe was killed by a member of the group who had been cultivating a ganja chena for the past 3 to 4 years. Around 16 wildlife officials had been involved in this operation. Two out of the three men found on the cultivation were taken into custody. It is alleged that the man who escaped had shot at Kumarasinghe at close range. The officials had also seized a large quantity of venison at the site. The officers had travelled to Galamuna by vehicle Tuesday evening and thereafter proceeded on foot in different directions to raid the ganja plantation. Kumarasinghe and two wildlife guards had accosted the three men. After taking two suspects into custody they were leading the way back to the vehicle when he was suddenly shot at. Former Director of the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWLC) Dayananda Kariyawasam said that Block 3 had been out of bounds for the last 8 to 10 years due to terrorist activities. The Department recently opened the Katagamuwa gate to Block 3 and infrastructure is being built for the use of visitors. Kumarasinghe, a BSc graduate of Peradeniya University joined the DWLC on November 09, 1998. Being a talented young man, Kumarasinghe was put in charge of detection and protection duty at the Yala National Park. During his short tenure he excelled in detection work and conducted many difficult raids successfully. Among them are the detection of the tusks of the “Dalapoottuwa” killed by ivory hunters, and two leopard skins at Thambarawa. During several raids led by Kumarasinghe over the past years, 50 to 60 poachers had been taken into custody for contravening the regulations of the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance. He had also been instrumental in busting several incidents of illegal treasure hunting within the park grounds and had reduced to a minimum illegal poaching for game-meat. The officer had many threats to his life due to his devoted service to the DWLC. The suspects taken into custody are poor people of the area who had been employed in ganja cultivation allegedly by big-time businessmen. It is also alleged that politicians had been behind the killing of the tuskers in the park, which Kumarasinghe later detected. Kumarasinghe’s funeral takes place on Saturday, February 1 at his hometown. His remains are now lying at his residence No. 241, Thunkama, Embilipitiya. He leaves behind his wife whom he married five months ago.
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