Shooting in Mt.Lavinia linked to underworld dispute kills one

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya   

Investigations have revealed that the fatal shooting of a 24-year-old man in Mount Lavinia yesterday was the result of a long-standing feud between two notorious criminals, ‘Kos Malli’ and ‘Badovita Asanka’.   

The victim, identified as Savindu Tharindu, a resident of Badovita, was shot by two individuals who arrived on a motorcycle at Siripala Mawatha. He succumbed to his injuries after being admitted to the Colombo South Teaching Hospital.   

Police have arrested one suspect in connection with the shooting. The victim was reportedly a close associate of underworld figure ‘Kos Malli’, who is currently believed to be hiding in Dubai.   

The suspect involved in the shooting, a 47-year-old man, is said to be affiliated with ‘Badovita Asanka’s’ faction.    Police suspect that this murder is the latest in a series of violent confrontations between the two criminal groups.    The death toll attributed to this ongoing dispute has now risen to seven.   

Meanwhile, at least six people have been killed in shooting incidents related to organized crime in Sri Lanka this month alone.   

In response to the rise in criminal activity, Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa last week has called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and law enforcement authorities to take urgent action to address the growing violence.    He said that the police have discovered that many of these crimes are orchestrated by criminals residing abroad. According to the Police, INTERPOL Red Notices have been issued for 188 such individuals, with 63 of them actively involved in crimes such as murders and extortion in Sri Lanka.    Premadasa emphasized that the escalating violence is severely affecting the safety and daily lives of ordinary citizens, urging the authorities to take immediate and effective measures to curb the crime wave.