Killed in scuffle

One civilian was killed during a scuffle between a group of allegedly drunken civilians and a sailor who was on coastguard duty at Palliyawatta in Wattala last night, Navy spokesman Commander D. K. P. Dassanayake said.

The civilians had allegedly tried to grab the sailor’s weapon from him when the scuffle ensued, and in the confusion the gun had fired.

The gunshot instantly killed one of the civilians. The sailor and another civilian were injured in the incident, Commander Dassanayake said.