A public officer attached to the Dambulla Divisional Secretariat has handed over Rs. 213,780 found in an unidentified bag to its rightful owner, following a police-assisted inquiry.
The officer, Thushara Jayawardhana, had discovered the cash inside two unfamiliar bags among items he had purchased from shops in Dambulla town on Wednesday (25).
Jayawardhana promptly reported the matter to the Dambulla Police Station after finding the money, as he had no knowledge of its ownership.
Following the complaint, officers initiated inquiries under the direction of the Headquarters Inspector, tracing the source of the bags by contacting the shops where the purchases had been made.
The owner was later identified as the treasurer of a mosque located near the Dambulla Dedicated Economic Centre.
The treasurer stated that the money had been collected as donations for religious activities during the Ramadan period.
The cash was subsequently handed over to the rightful owner at the Dambulla Police Station in the presence of police officers. (NewsWire)