Operation Ishara: Fugitive Murder Suspect Recaptured in Nepal, Details of International Flight Revealed

Colombo | October 16, 2025 By Lion’s Roar News Staff Writer

A significant victory for Sri Lankan law enforcement has been secured following the successful capture and extradition of Ishara Sewwandi, the prime female suspect in the high-profile murder of organised crime figure ‘Gane-mulla Sanjeeva.’

Sewwandi, who had been on the run for months following the sensational court complex shooting, was apprehended in a joint special operation in Nepal and brought back to the country yesterday, October 15th, alongside five other suspects.

The Escape and the Chase

According to revelations made to security officials upon her return, Sewwandi had spent over two months in hiding within Sri Lanka, primarily in the Mathugama and Tangalle areas, after the murder.

The fugitive then reportedly fled the island by sea to India with an accomplice, J.K. Bhai, a journey that took approximately five hours, eventually using a smaller boat to cross the final stretch. After a two-week stay in India where she acquired a fake Indian identity card under the name ‘Thamilini,’ she continued her escape to Nepal.

Sewwandi told police that she had been directed to move between various safe houses by the notorious gang leader ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’ (recently arrested in Indonesia) and received assistance from the criminal ‘Backhoe Saman.’

The Nepal Operation

The successful apprehension was executed by a special Sri Lankan police team, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police Rohan Olugala and officer Gihan Silva, working closely with the Nepalese police and with coordination from the Sri Lankan Deputy Ambassador in Nepal, Sameera Munasinghe.

The breakthrough came after the team arrested one of Sewwandi’s associates, J.K. Bhai, in Nepal. Though Bhai initially claimed ignorance, police secured Ishara’s phone number and used technical analysis to pinpoint her location.

The investigating officers lodged near the two-story house in a Kathmandu suburb where Sewwandi was residing under the assumed identity of ‘Thamilini,’ paying a monthly rent of 6,000 Nepalese Rupees. Once all information was confirmed, local Nepalese police carried out the arrest.

Eyewitness accounts from the police team detail the moment of capture. When ASP Olugala entered and asked, “How are you, Sewwandi?” she reportedly responded, “I am fine, Sir,” and later stated that she was “sick of this country,” suggesting relief at the end of her life as a fugitive.

Six Suspects Extradited

The aircraft carrying the arrested criminals—including Ishara Sewwandi, Duplicate Ishara (Thakshi), J.K. Bhai, Jaffna Suresh, Gampaha Baba, and Nugegoda Babi—arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday evening. They were handed over to various police units, including the Colombo Crime Division, under high security.

The arrested group revealed that they were all members of the Kehelbaddara Padme gang. Following Padme’s arrest in Indonesia, the group, who were staying together, split into six different locations, facing mounting financial difficulties.

Further questioning of Nugegoda Babi has shed light on the operation, confirming that he and Gampaha Baba were brought to India by boat via Mannar on the instructions of Padme and arranged by Backhoe Saman. Babi, who was wanted for a 2019 murder, had previously been deported from Dubai last year.

All suspects are now being held for further investigation, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to dismantle organised crime networks operating internationally.