By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya 

Five suspects have been arrested while two policemen sustained injuries during a raid on a heroin hideout at Dematagoda last evening, police said. 

Six policemen attached to the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) led by a Sub Inspector of Police engaged in an operation to arrest a drug trafficker following a tip off at Kalipulla in Dematagoda, Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa said.  

During the raid, the officers arrested a suspect with 10 grams of heroin.  However, a group of supporters of the suspect began attacking the policemen with clubs and projectiles to prevent the suspect from being arrested by police. During the melee, one of the policeman fired in the air. The policemen also arrested four accomplices of the drug trafficker soon after the scuffle. Two policemen injured in the incident were admitted to the Colombo National Hospital, the spokesman said.