Police have dispatched two special police units to arrest the gang who escaped after robbing cash and jewellery worth Rs. 2 million from Ratnaloka noted Ratnapura on Thursday night, police sources said.

The sources said that the gang of robbers were from outside the area. As such no one was able to identify them. Most of them were masked but some of them had their faces open.

The robbers had taken silver and gold jewellery worth over Rs. 1,900,000 which were in the showcases of the hotel. They were unable to detect the whereabouts of the safe which contained priceless gemstones, jewellery and cash. They had also taken cash to the value of Rs. 98,000, the police said.

Ratnaloka hotel is a popular destination for holiday makers situated about eight miles from the Ratnapura town in a remote area. It is surrounded by rubber plantations, police said.

According to the police the robbers had come on foot to the hotel around midnight. They had attacked the guards of the hotel and then broke into the hotel showroom and taken away the valuables. While some of the robbers kept the staff at bay at gunpoint a few others had disconnected all the telephone lines to the hotel.

They had been armed with pistols. All of them were young men and wore trousers. "They spoke in English," the police said.

The robbers had asked for the rooms where honeymooners were in with the intension of robbing them. They had also asked for the owner of the hotel, Mr. Ratnaloka. But the staff had said that no one was in. men had told the others

The robbers had hijacked a vehicle which was parked outsidethe hotel to get away. They had got down at Ratnapura hospital and let the driver and the vehicle go.

The driver had returned back to the hotel after that. The police were informed around 5 a.m., Till thus the hotel staff were trying to charge up a cellular phone to call the police, the investigators said.

Police said that they could have apprehended the robbers on the same night if the driver had informed them without driving back to the hotel. "If he informed as soon as he was released the police may have been able to surround the area and monitor all the exits," a senior officer said.

Investigations are being carried out by Ratnapura Headquarters Inspector Chief Inspector Sarath Joseph, OIC (Crimes) Ratnapura police, Inspector E. D. K. Benildus and team. - (SB)