Police says Nallur shooting not planned

23 July 2017 12:04 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 23 Bookmark

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Two suspects had been arrested by the Police in connection with the shooting incident in which a gunman opened fire at Jaffna High Court Judge M. Ilanchezhiyan and his security detail at Nallur in Jaffna on Saturday, killing a police sergeant.

Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekara said according to the initial investigation, it was revealed that the shooting was unexpected incident but not a pre-planned attacked.

The 51-year-old Police sergeant Sarath Premachandra was killed and Police Constable Wimalasiri was injured in the shooting.

SP Gunasekara said Jaffna High Court Judge M. Ilanchezhiyan, who is a member of the trial-at-bar that is hearing the gang rape and murder of Vidya in Jaffna, his driver and constable Wimalasiri were traveling in a car at the time of the incident, when sergeant Premachandra was escorting in front of the car in a motorcycle providing security.

The Sergeant got off the motorcycle at Nallur to clear the road as there was traffic congestion in the area caused due to an argument among a group of drunk individuals.

Suddenly one of the drunken man had grabbed a pistol of the Sergeant and had shot at him.

Police Constable Wimalasiri, who was in the car had then get off and opened fire at the gunman.

However, the Constable was also injured in the shootout and the gunman had fled the scene.

The judge escaped unhurt as the bodyguards prevented the judge from getting off the vehicle.

The injured policemen were admitted to the Jaffna General Hospital for gunshot injuries and Sergeant Premachandra, who was a father of two, succumbed to injuries early this morning.

The Police arrested the two suspects at the scene in connection with the shooting and investigations revealed the suspects were brothers and a relative of the main suspect in the shooting.

SP Gunasekara said the Police had deployed several teams to arrest the main suspect and ruled out the claims that the Judge was targeted by the gunman.

Northern Province Senior DIG Roshan Fernando is leading the investigations. (Darshana Sanjeewa)

Comments - 23

Lankan Sunday, 23 July 2017 02:10 PM

Cover up already started!

12 58

Question more Sunday, 23 July 2017 08:38 PM

There is no reason for the cover up -unless the police themselves are worried (to put it mildly) of some connection to them

20 9

Nishanth Sunday, 23 July 2017 02:21 PM

It's simply contradicting with the given statement by police,how come the drunken gunman could able to shoot and fled the scene without being caught simply if he was under the influence of alcohol, come on police spokesman, give us (public) reasonable answer without closing file blindly

6 84

Lankaboy. Sunday, 23 July 2017 03:25 PM

it was too quick to come up with the statement from police.. probably they have received their fair share even before the shooting started..

1 19

Krish Sunday, 23 July 2017 03:12 PM

Hello Officer ...you think we are all blind!There is a serious case going on in Jaffna and all tensed up ! obviously the person going to give the judgement going to be a target! everyone can see it is a premeditated planned murder plot! judge is lucky and sad we lost a police hero. we don't want to hear some cooked up story from you.

1 33

ceylon Sunday, 23 July 2017 03:29 PM

how can drunk man grabed a pistal from a ready to shoot policemanand shot him.and shot another armed ready policeman . via DM Android App

0 19

ceylon Sunday, 23 July 2017 03:31 PM

is these vip guarding armed picemen assigned to trafic duties while providing security . via DM Android App

0 1

Silva Sunday, 23 July 2017 03:52 PM

What do you mean was not planned!? It is obvious he (the shooter) was trying to prevent the criminals from being exposed and punished. Respect to the police officers who lost his life protecting the lawyer. We need more honest police officers in our country.

0 19

ceylon Sunday, 23 July 2017 04:31 PM

police jokes also not bad.create good laugh.still investigation just started only.result declared. via DM Android App

0 8

TJ Sunday, 23 July 2017 04:55 PM

Highly inconvincible conviction by the Spokesman. It sounds like a premature statement made under pressure to close the file.

0 10

Union Sunday, 23 July 2017 05:08 PM

When the judge himself has said to a Tamil web TV that the gunman handled the gun with ease, suggesting that the gunman was familiar with the firearms, the police spokesman is making irresponsible statement in a hurry for reasons best known to him.

0 20

axe Sunday, 23 July 2017 05:10 PM

police vs judicial.... did you see the incident dear sir... give respect to your uniform... via DM Android App

0 8

Lankan Sunday, 23 July 2017 05:55 PM

Hope they have watched the video interview given to the local media by the judge immediately after the incident. He called it an attack on judiciary!

0 13

Haramanis Sunday, 23 July 2017 06:12 PM

Out-of-Control!!!

0 9

Muttal Sunday, 23 July 2017 06:53 PM

Difficult to understand absence of any connection as those arrested are stated to be relatives of the first accused.

0 8

Senewi Sunday, 23 July 2017 07:12 PM

If the shooting has been done by the police only they can make this type of statement .

0 13

spot on Monday, 24 July 2017 08:34 AM

You are spot on

0 9

Gayan Sunday, 23 July 2017 07:51 PM

Arrest the policemen for shooting at the criminals. Law in the north.

9 11

punchinilame Sunday, 23 July 2017 09:30 PM

In a video statement the Hon. Judge stated that he felt that the shooter was "professional" - an angle worth following.

0 23

Jamalji Monday, 24 July 2017 09:27 AM

Target was judge. Since he was in hippi dress and paused as a ordinary civilian, he was not recognized by gunmen.There was no reason to fire at a policeman.Whole story fabricated by Police should be dismissed.

1 6

Roman Monday, 24 July 2017 10:16 AM

Yes! only the media briefing was pre-planned!

0 4

Dr. A.C.B. Jayaweera Monday, 24 July 2017 10:59 AM

Police Spokesman thinks that SriLankan's are fools and keeping flowers in their ears, what a senseless statement he released before the investigations concluded.

0 3

Aladeniya Kirimathaya Monday, 24 July 2017 11:01 AM

Hay spokesman pls. don't bring disgrace to your Police Department, you should think that one of your men had already sacrificed his life.

0 2

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