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Police hunt for more than 80 people involved in mob attacks
View(s):Police are on the lookout for more than 80 people responsible for organising attacks on business establishments and houses in areas in the North Western Province and Gampaha district, a senior Police officer said.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Priyantha Jayakody said that the culprits have been identified through CCTV footage, pictures taken on mobile phones and information received.
He said they have found evidence that organised groups were involved in the attacks and, at times were backed by people affiliated to political parties.
He said 300 to 400 persons had arrived, mostly on bikes, some of them using interior roads to avoid detection by the police or armed forces and carried out the attacks.
The groups, he said, had got the support of criminals and wanted persons who were more interested in looting business establishments after they were attacked.
In one of the locations at Koswatta, Chilaw, a group of 31 hiding inside a house with two gunny bags of stones and bulbs converted into petrol bombs were arrested, he added.