At least eight persons including three women have been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital due to a shooting by a security guard near Gate 06 of the Colombo harbour, police said.

They said the shooting was carried out by a security guard of a road construction site of the Expressway.

Police said a tense situation had prevailed when a group of people  at Bloemendhal Street tried to prevent two people who had come to steal iron from the relevant road development site.

According to the investigations, a security guard at the site opened fire on the mob when they attempted to grab a firearm from another security guard.

It was reported that four of the inured sustained minor injuries.

The Foreshore Police is investigating.(DSB)