PHI murder in Elpitiya was a case of mistaken identity

By Srinath Prasanna Jayasuriya

Colombo, July 04 (Daily Mirror) - Following the arrest of the gunman linked to the murder of Public Health Inspector (PHI) Deepal Roshan Kumara in Elpitiya last February, investigations revealed that the fatal shooting was a case of mistaken identity, as the slain PHI was inadvertently shot instead of a police officer in the area, police sources said.

The arrest, made in Mount Lavinia, also led to the recovery of two firearms from the suspect.

Based on the information revealed by the 51-year-old suspect, the police have found a MM type pistol, a magazine and ten live bullets, which are believed to have been used to shoot the PHI, hidden in the house in the Owita area .

After killing the PHI, a husband and wife who allegedly provided the gunman with accommodation after committing the crime, were also arrested on suspicion, they said.

A senior police officer said that a suspect who was arrested on suspicion of possessing 2,200 milligrams of heroin was detained and interrogated and had later admitted that he was a shooter in the underworld and had committed this crime.

Police investigations have revealed information that this person was given a cash contract of eight lakh rupees by a man named Saman Kolla, who is considered to be an underworld leader hiding in Dubai, to kill a sub-inspector residing in the same area where the house of the PHI is located.

According to police sources, the photo of the PHI in uniform has been taken by the shooter instead of the photo of the sub-inspector.

It is said that the underworld leader named Saman Kolla, who has fled to Dubai and is hiding, has handed over the contract to the underworld shooter, claiming that the person he plans to shoot is a retired police inspector.

The police say that he is not a retired police inspector but a sub-inspector who is still in duty.

It has been further learned from police sources that this contract has been given to kill the police officer because of the seizure of heroin said to belong to the Saman Kolla.