9 April 2024 12:00 am Views - 123
By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya
A Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Corporal attached to the Sri Lanka Air Force Rugby pool, believed to be the main suspect in the shooting incident at Moragahahena where two persons were killed, was killed in a shooting by the Police and Special Task Force (STF) at Angamuwa in Padukka yesterday morning.
Based on information, a police team checked the house of the deceased suspect in the Miriagalla area in Padukka and since the suspect was not at home at that time, the police put a roadblock at the Angamuwa Junction to check the vehicles.
Police said the 33-year-old deceased, a resident of Padukka had reportedly ignored an order to stop at the checkpoint during a Police-STF operation yesterday morning.
The victim was riding a motorcycle at the time of the incident.
Police said the motorcyclist allegedly opened fire at the police personnel. Subsequently, when the police returned fire, the motorcyclist had sustained injuries and had died on admission to the Padukka Hospital.
Meanwhile, SLAF spokesman Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe said that the SLAF Commander has initiated an inquiry into the incident.
Preliminary findings point to an exchange of fire between the SLAF Corporal (volunteer) and the police officers who were at the checkpoint. According to the information of Police, the injured Corporal, who was off duty, had succumbed to his injuries once hospitalised.
The SLAF takes seriously any involvement of its personnel in criminal activities and will work closely with law enforcement agencies to investigate into the incident, the SLAF spokesman said.
On Sunday, two individuals who were travelling in a three-wheeler were killed in a shooting by a group that arrived in a car at Thalgahawila, Moragahahena.
The police have revealed that the SLAF Corporal was the shooter in the shooting incident in Moragahahena. It was also, reported that he is also the shooter of an organized criminal and drug dealer Thanuja Sampath alias Homagama “Handaya” who is currently hiding abroad.