Businessman found tied inside car at Borella cemetery dies in hospital

Businessman Dinesh Schaffter, who was found tied inside his vehicle at the General Cemetery in Borella this evening (15), has died while being treated in hospital. 

He was admitted to the ICU of National Hospital in Colombo and had passed away while undergoing treatment, police said. 

Earlier today, police said that a 52-year-old person, identified as a prominent businessperson, who was found tied up inside a car at the Borella General Cemetery, was admitted to the ICU of the National Hospital in Colombo. 

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is conducting further investigations into the incident, which is suspected to be an attempt to abduct and murder the businessman. 

Borella Police said that the victim, identified as Dinesh Schaffter, the director of a leading insurance company in the country, had been abducted and taken to the Borella general cemetery.

Investigations had revealed that the victim had left home at Flower Road in Cinnamon Garden last evening (14), informing his wife that he was going to meet an individual who owes him a large sum of money.

However, when his wife had attempted to call him a little while later, his mobile phone was disconnected. His wife had managed to trace the location of the mobile phone to near the Borealla cemetery while she had proceeded to inform an executive officer of the company due to a growing suspicion. 

The executive officer had informed police that when he arrived at the cemetery, he discovered the director tied up using zip ties and in the driving seat of his car with a tyre around his neck. 

Acting immediately, he had proceeded to free Mr. Schaffter from the bindings and remove the tyre from around his neck with the help of a labourer at the cemetery. He was subsequently rushed to the Colombo National Hospital.  

Police said that a labour worker at the cemetery had witnessed an unidentified person leaving from near the vicinity of the victim’s car.

A high-ranking police officer, speaking on conditions of anonymity, further said that a popular cricket commentator had obtained millions of rupees on loan from the businessman and that the latter had made three complaints to the CID regarding this.