A thief from a group of 4 thieves was caught by the residents last Saturday night in Bopitiya, Ja-Ela.

Upon being handed over to the officers of the Pamunugama Police Station by the residents, the suspect was admitted to Ragama teaching hospital as he was diagnosed with a cold and some wounds inflicted due to the beating up by those who captured him.

It was revealed by the tests conducted at the hospital that the suspect was infected with Covid-19. He has been transferred to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (IDH) since.

PHIs and Police Officers of Ja-Ela area visited the resident area of the suspect named Suduwella in Ja-Ela and gave awareness to the villagers of the situation, after which they put the entire village on isolation.

Further, residents of the 10 houses in Delathura, Navodyaa Mawatha in Bopitiya have been instructed to undergo self quarantine and the area is also under lockdown while naval soldiers have been deployed for further protection.

Also, the police officers who were on duty when the suspect was brought to the police station have also been instructed to practice self- quarantine while the police station was disinfected. Police are in search for the rest of the suspected thieves of the group who managed to escape.