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Investigators check video of Ranatunga shooting incident
The Colombo Crime Division has taken over all CCTV footage related to the shooting incident at the Ceypetco building where a body guard of former minister Arjuna Ranatunga opened fire killing an employee of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) last Sunday.
Our photographer M.A. Pushpa Kumara captured these scenes when the melee broke out at the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation
A senior CCD officer said that the footage will shed light on events that unfolded from the time Mr. Ranatunga entered the premises until the shooting took place and incidents thereafter.
According to initial investigations, Mr. Ranatunga had called over at the Ceypetco to visit his office and as he waited for a ministry official a Colombo Municipal Council member identified as Kulatissa Deeganage had entered the premises and had argued with the ministerial security division officers.
As the arguments intensified, Mr. Geekiyanage and a group of supporters of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna and members of the Sri Lanka Nidhas Sevaka Sangamaya, affiliated to the SLFP, who had been outside the gate, had then entered the lobby.
Mr. Ranatunga had been moved into a room by his security officers.
The Dematagoda police including its OIC had rushed to scene trying to prevent a clash and prevent the mob from entering the room where Mr Ranatunga had been moved for safety, according the CCD.
An MSD officer had then opened fire at the mob injuring three people. One of them later died in hospital. He was identified as Rangana Pushpakumara, 34, a CPC employee.
The Dematagoda OIC had told the investigators that he had told the MSD guards not to open fire.
Mr. Ranatunga was later moved to safety by the STF, dressed up in an STF uniform and helmet. The STF had been called in after Mr Ranatunga was held hostage for about three hours.
Mr. Ranatunga in a statement said that he had returned to Sri Lanka after attending an official conference on Sunday and due to the government change he was compelled to visit the office to collect the keys to his official residence.
He said that he had called the ministry secretary who had promised to send an additional secretary to the location.
He had been awaiting the arrival of the additional secretary when the municipal council member arrived and abused him in filth. He said when the MMC member tried to assault him the CPC security officials and MSD personnel moved him to the communication and marketing services room.
He said he noticed the municipal council member along with an interdicted employee identified as Bandula Saman Kumara. They were accompanied by a large number of people carrying poles, metals bars, and cricket bats. He said the mob screamed abuse at him and threatened to kill him.
“The mob tried to enter the room that I was in. Three of my MSD officers stood outside preventing them. Though I did not leave the room, through the glass panel on the door, I could see the mayhem outside. The mob was assaulting the MSD officers and trying to break down the door, screaming death threats at me. At one one point I saw one of the MSD officers falling under their blows. Immediately afterwards, I heard the sound of gunshots. I saw the mob fleeing the scene,’’ Mr. Ranatunga’s statement said.
He said that as a result one person had lost his life and that he was conveying his deepest condolences to the bereaved family.
But Mr. Geekiyanage told the Sunday Times that he had seen some security men outside the building as he passed by on Sunday. He found out Mr. Ranatunga had arrived.
He said that people accompanying Mr. Ranatunga had assaulted him after he was identified. Mr. Ranatunga slapped him and the persons tried to drag him on to the upper floor.
He said he later returned with some villagers and the police.
Mr. Geekiyanage said one of the bodyguards of Mr. Ranatunga had opened fire despite the OIC telling him not to shoot. He said he was the target, but he ducked.
The injured were rushed to the hospital, he said.
Saman Kumara, President of the Sri Lanka Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya, CPC branch said that it was not acceptable that Mr. Ranatunga visited the office without permission to collect a key.
He said he witnessed the shooting and it was avoidable.
“He [Mr. Ranatunga] should have come with an official from the ministry, if he wanted to get to his room,’’ he said.
The funeral of the CPC employee took place in Gampola on Wednesday. He was a father of a two-year-old son whose birthday fell on Thursday.