A member of the Civil Defence Force(CDF) has been arrested in connection with the shooting to death of a wild elephant in the Koragahaulpatha area in Sithulpawuwa on the 7th of this month.
Police also found 7 live bullets along with a magazine and a T-56 firearm in the suspect’s possession.
Residents of the area had seen the elephant being shot dead on the morning of January 6 and had informed the Wildlife officials and the Police.
Officers from the Tangalle Divisional Crime Investigation Division arrived at the scene and arrested the suspect, who was hiding in the Sithulpawuwa jungle.
The arrested Civil Defense Force member was deployed to guard the wild elephant fence in the Sithulpawuwa area, police said.
The arrested suspect is a 43-year-old resident of Yodakandiya, Tissamaharama.
