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2 alleged gangsters killed in shootout with STF
Two men, described as gangsters by the police, were killed in a shootout with Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel at Madawala, Kandy, last afternoon. Police said the deceased were close associates of underworld kingpins ‘Makandure Madhush’ and ‘Angoda Lokka,’, believed to be operating from overseas.
Following a tip-off that the two gangsters were traveling in a vehicle from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy, STF personnel had set up a snap roadblock at Madawala, along the Teldeniya Road. At about 12.15pm, on suspicion, they flagged down a vehicle. As the STF officers approached the vehicle, an individual inside the vehicle allegedly opened fire on them. The STF had returned fire, hitting the individuals inside.
The two injured men, on admission to Katugastota Hospital, were pronounced dead. Police identified the deceased last evening as Rumalsa Iresh Madushanka Nawagamuwa alias ‘Balila’ (30) and Polwattage Upali alias ‘Jana’ (46).
Police said that Madushanka had some 15 different cases which included murder, extortion, armed robbery and possession of weapons, pending against him in various courts in the island, while Upali too had several pending court cases, including for murder and armed robbery, according to police.
Both men were out on bail at the time of the incident. A pistol and a revolver, along with ammunition, were recovered from the possession of the two deceased criminals, police added. Last evening, Police Headquarters also released a list of illegal firearms recovered from the possession of various suspects, in the first 5 months of this year.These include 14 T-56 assault rifles, 11 pistols, 10 revolvers, 16 locally manufactured ‘Galkatas’ firearms and 284 other firearms, along with 7,375 assorted rounds of ammunition.