Special police teams investigating the shooting at Bulugaha Junction in Peliyagoda on New Year’s Eve targeting a murder suspect and wounding two traffic constables have identified the gunman responsible.

A senior police detective said they had received successful leads to the shooting which could now be determined as an act of vengeance resulting from gang rivalry.

He said several special teams had been deployed to arrest the absconding suspect who had been identified by now.

Meanwhile the murder suspect Dhadallage Manjula alias D. Manju who had been admitted to the Colombo South Teaching Hospital in Ragama immediately after the shooting was transferred to the Colombo National Hospital yesterday morning.

The suspect who had received two bullet wounds has been placed under special police protection as requested by his family members.

Meanwhile, the two injured constables attached to Peliyagoda Police Traffic Branch were also admitted to CNH.

None of the injured are said to be in a serious condition.

Dhadallage Manjula, who was remanded in connection with the killing of Peliyagoda Urban Councillor Shmila Sandaruwan win May, 2014 was out on bail. The car he was driving had crashed into a tipper on New Year’s Eve at the Bulugaha Junction. (Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana)