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UPFA Deputy Minister arrested over Kahawatte killing
Power and Energy Deputy Minister Premalal Gunasekera was yesterday arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of an Opposition party supporter in Kahawatte, Ratnapura, on the eve of Thursday’s Presidential election, as newly appointed Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe paid his last respects at the victim’s home yesterday evening.
The suspect who was on the run since the incident that also left two others injured, was picked up from a safe house in Aluthgama by a team of police officers from the Slave Island Division, a senior police official said.
Among those injured was the Secretary of the Kahawatte Traders’ Union.
The victim, Shantha Dodangoda, a father of three, and a local businessman, was fatally wounded after the suspect along with two other regional politicians opened fire when the group was setting up a stage for a propaganda meeting of Presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena.
Police are also searching for the chief occupant of the house in Aluthgama that provided refuge to the Deputy Minister, and the weapon allegedly used in the killing.Shortly after the shooting the Deputy Minister had vehemently denied any involvement in the incident, only to add that a group of Opposition supporters from the area, along with some outsiders, had planned to create trouble.
He also alleged that the Opposition supporters had also torched a cut-out of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, which led to a heated stand-off between the rival supporters.
The incident came days after a propaganda meeting of Opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena was stoned in neighbouring Pelmadulla, injuring several persons.
The attack took place soon after Mr Sirisena began addressing the meeting, and although police suspected a regional politician to be behind the incident, no person was arrested.
The police are also hunting for two others- Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councillor Aruna Nilantha and Kahawatte Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Vajira Darshana, in connection with the same incident.
Police have also alerted officials at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) to prevent the suspects from fleeing the country.
Earlier, a local magistrate ordered that all three suspects be arrested and produced in court at the very earliest.
Further investigations into the incident are being carried out by a special team from the Ratnapura Police Division led by Inspector (IP) L. Rajamantri.