News
Shooting incidents continue unabated
View(s):Shooting incidents have continued unabated in the past two weeks claiming at least five lives, causing damages to houses and creating a fear psychosis.
In the latest shooting incident, believed to be a result of an underworld gang rivalry, shots were fired at a spare parts shop in Kalubowila.
The gunman had got off the pillion and opened fire and escaped causing damage to the shop.
The owner of the shop who had suspected that a gunman was looking for him had avoided coming to the shop.
A more serious shooting incident was reported earlier the same day when a gunman opened fire outside the Mannar Court complex killing two persons and injuring a bystander. Police said the shooting was a result of an ongoing rivalry between two groups since 2022.
Preliminary investigations into the shooting incident in front of Mannar Court complex on Thursday revealed that the mastermind who directed the daylight terror currently resides abroad. Police have secured a red notice through Interpol, they said.
The two individuals who were killed were due to appear before court over a previous shooting incident in 2022 where two brothers were killed over the dispute that arose during a bull cart race tournament in Uyilankulam, Mannar.
Earlier, both of them were granted bail after Police investigations identified them as the main suspects over the killing. Two others were also injured during the incident.
Two dead in shooting outside Mannar Magistrate's Court Pix by Loha Thayalan
Another individual allegedly connected to the incident was killed during a collision of vehicles in what Police suspect was a premeditated murder.
In 2023, two more individuals suspected to be linked to the cart race incident were shot dead by unknown persons.
Addressing a media briefing in Colombo on Friday, Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Senior DIG Priyantha Weerasooriya said four special Police teams are deployed to carry out investigations to track down the main suspect of the incident and be brought into the country.
According to Police sources, they have tracked down one of the individuals who was involved in the shooting incident this week and further investigations are underway.
Meanwhile, in another shooting incident reported on January 7, two persons were shot dead in their house in Watarappala, Mt Lavina. The victims were an uncle and nephew.
A gunman who arrived on a motorcycle broke into their house in the early hours and opened fire, killing them. The gunman and his accomplice had used a stolen motor cycle.
Police believe it was a contract killing carried out on the instructions given by an underworld group operating from overseas. They believe it was a rivalry over a drug deal.
Four suspects have been taken into custody over the shooting.
A couple of other shooting incidents too have occurred.
Police spokesman SSP Buddhika Manatunga told the Sunday Times they have already arrested a couple of suspects operating from overseas and they would be brought back to the country soon.
He said, in addition, over 1,400 persons have been identified as aiding criminals and action would be taken against them.
He added that a gang hiring weapons for criminal activities too has been arrested and 8 weapons which they rented out have been seized.
SSP Manatunga said they had made several breakthroughs in the investigations into the shooting incidents, while in the Mannar incident too they had identified the suspects.
Most of the incidents are related to rivalries between gangs, he said.
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