Sri Lanka, Feb. 11 -- A trainee police constable who stole a T-56 firearm and 30 live cartridges from the Mount Lavinia Police and later fled to Dubai has been suspended, according to Police Headquarters.

The constable, identified as Police Constable 100430 J. A. K. P. Jayakody, was assigned roadblock duty near the Kahatawita Mawatha bridge from 6:00 pm on February 8 to 6:00 am the following morning. However, investigations revealed that he took the firearm (serial number 28045840) and ammunition from the armory without recording an exit note and fled the police station.

Just four hours later, Jayakody left the country for Dubai without reporting for duty. Meanwhile, another constable from the Galapitamada area has been arrested for all...