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Mulleriyawa shooting: CID probe continues; STF, Army on alert

09 Oct 2011 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Investigations are underway to find out the reason which triggered the shooting incident and who shot whom first in Mulleriyawa on Saturday evening where Trade Union Affairs Presidential Advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra was killed along with two others and parliamentarian Duminda Silva suffered serious head injuries.

The incident had taken place around 3.30 pm close to the Walpola junction when the two vehicle convoys carrying the two ruling party strongmen met face to face on the road heading to Himbutana.

According to sources the two Toyota Land Cruisers of the two politicians were travelling parallel to each other in opposite directions when the shooting had taken place following a verbal confrontation.

The incident is reportedly linked to a killing of a Premachandra supporter in Kolonnawa the previous night (Friday).

Former parliamentarian Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra succumbed to his injuries following admission to the National Hospital in Colombo. According to reports he had received gunshot injuries to his head, leg and chest areas.

The two other victims were identified as Damitha Jayasekara (45) and Mohammed Aseem (32) – both residents of Kolonnawa. Two police constables including one from the Ministerial Security Division (MSD) and a civilian are currently receiving treatment at the National Hospital.

The CID is probing the incident while a team from the Government Analyst’s Department visited the scene and carried out investigations on Saturday evening. A police curfew was imposed in the Mulleriyawa Police Division from Saturday evening till 6am today, as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order in the area.

Police said it was still unclear whether the two prominent men had got down from their vehicles.

Police spokesman SSP Maxi Proctor said the police were still not aware of the reason that triggered the shooting or the persons responsible for it. “By the time the police arrived at the scene all the men and vehicles involved had been taken away from the scene. Therefore we cannot say how many vehicles were there in each convoy,” he said.

“As the CID is conducting investigations we are confident that they will gather all the information and prove who is responsible and make sure justice is served as it was done in the Katunayake, Angulana and Dompe incidents,” he said.

The Special Task Force (STF) and the Army are assisting the police to maintain law and order in the tense stricken area following the shooting.

Meanwhile, a large number of Premachandra supporters flocked around the National Hospital after hearing about the incident. It was also reported that a number of Duminda Silva’s supporters and his security personnel were inside the Sri Jayawaredanapura Hospital since Saturday evening.

No arrests have been made so far over the incident. The funeral of former Parliamentarian and Presidential Advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra will be held on Wednesday at the Umagiliya Grounds in Kolonnawa. (Supun Dias)

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Mulleriyawa shooting: CID probe continues; STF, Army on alert

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