Cash stolen in Meegoda Economic Centre robbery; Female Clerk injured

Victim to undergo surgery to remove pellets embedded in her body

By Buddhika Kumarasiri   

 A female employee in a wholesale store in the Meegoda Economic  Centre received serious gunshot injuries when two gunmen who entered  the business establishment shot her and took away a cash collection. She  was admitted to Homagama Base Hospital.   

 Police said she was a clerk keeping accounts and handling cash in the business establishment and that she was preparing to  leave for home after having finished her work when the two gunmen rushed  in and robbed her of the cash collection after shooting her.   

 The two robbers riding on a motorcycle had fled in the direction of Dampe – Moraketiya Road.   
 A spokesman for the hospital said the injured will be  subject to urgent surgery to remove three pellets embedded in the body.     

Meanwhile, Secretary of Meegoda Economic Centre Trader  Welfare Society P.V.R. Chaminda said they decided to close for business  the Economic Centre in view of the prevailing state in security. He  said their continual representations to the relevant authorities in this  regard had fallen on deaf ears. He said any police officer had not  been on duty in the economic centre.   

.A police team under OIC Meegoda Police SI Amila is  conducting further investigations with the assistance of IP Chanaka  Sandaruwan, and SI Rajapakse of Nugegoda SOCO Unit.   

Six Police officers in Meegoda Economic Centre transferred        

By Buddhika Kumarasiri

Six police officers including a Sub Inspector attached to Meegoda Economic Centre police post have been transferred with immediate effect to other police stations in the wake of the shooting in a wholesale store in the Economic Centre last morning.

Two gunmen who entered the stores had shot a female employee, causing her serious injuries and robbed her of the cash collection in her custody.

A senior official of the Nugegoda Police Division said the officers concerned would be liable to disciplinary action against them for negligence of duty. He further said another team of police officers would be appointed to man the police post.