Four persons were shot dead yesterday as two men on a motorbicycle opened fire at a group of fishermen at the Kudawella fisheries harbour in Tangalle.
Police suspect the shooting to be a result of a fight between two fisher groups. IGP Pujith Jayasundera has directed that investigations be conducted under the direct purview of the Senior DIG Southern Province and Matara and Tangalle DIG. A special team from the Colombo Crime Division (CCD) under the supervision of an ASP has also been sent to the scene of the crime to aid in investigations.
The Police media unit reported that the shooting took place around 7.15am yesterday, and they suspect the gunmen to have used to a T-56 rifle and a pistol to open fire at a group of fishermen standing at the harbour.
Three of the bodies have been kept at the Tangalle mortuary for post mortem inquiries whilst one lies at the Nakulugamuwa Hospital.
The deceased kept at Nakulugamuwa has been identified as Sadun Chamara (40), a resident of Bodarakanda. He worked as an employee in Parliament and had come to purchase fish at the harbour when the shooting took place.
The other three have been identified as Lahiru Udayakumara (36), R.P.Gasith (28) and J.M. Chameera (28). They are fishermen from the Kudawella area.
The injured have been identified as Damith Dilshan (18) from Galwewa, Ambalanthota, Sarath Jayasinghe (48) from Kudawella North, Nakulugamuwa, Kathaluwa Galappaththige Saman Pushpa Kumara (50) from Hanwella, Dikwella, Sugath Rohana Wijeweera (48) from Hanwella, Dickwella, Gallla Mannakkarage Thilak (51) from Kudawella South, Nakulugamuwa, Koku Hennadige Udara Sampath (35) from Hanwella, Dickwella and Madduma Bandarage Weerasekara Nimal (37) from Galwewa, Ambalanthota.
from daily news