A Sri Lankan man accused of involvement in the murder of a lawyer and his wife in Sri Lanka was detained after arriving in the Maldives from Thailand and was handed over to Sri Lankan authorities.

The suspect, Sihina Dilsara, 23, had an Interpol Red Notice issued against him.

According to Sri Lankan media, Dilsara fled Sri Lanka on February 17, travelling first to Thailand, then to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia before returning to Thailand and eventually flying to Maldives.

He is accused of using his vehicle to transport the assailants who fatally shot a lawyer and his wife while they were sitting in their car in the parking area of a supermarket in Sri Lanka on February 13. Investigators later identified one of the vehicles allegedly used in the attack, after which Dilsara fled the country.

Sri Lankan media reported that Maldivian authorities notified their Sri Lankan counterparts as soon as Dilsara was reported to arrive in Maldives. A special team from the Sri Lankan police travelled to the Maldives, where Dilsara was stopped by immigration authorities and handed over to the visiting officers.

Mihaaru News reported that Dilsara arrived in the Maldives on July 3. He was arrested and extradited to Sri Lanka on the same day.

According to Sri Lankan media, Dilsara previously worked in the Maldives as a hotel steward between 2021 and 2022.