Five DEADLY police shootings in last 100 days in Sri Lanka
Starting from Gorge Floyd incident in May the world has seen a spark of protesters across the globe condemning police brutality. However in Sri Lanka, in the last 3 months, there have been 5 deadly police shootings. Sri Lankan police's extrajudicial killings of so-called "underworld" figures as they "try to escape" is becoming too common in the evening news.
Starting from Gorge Floyd incident in May the world has seen a spark of protesters across the globe condemning police brutality and lack of police accountability with Black lives Matter movement. Floyd's death triggered worldwide protests and marches start from Minnesota USA spread the globe and made this a global movement.
However in Sri Lanka, in the last 3 months, there have been 5 deadly police shootings. Sri Lankan police's extrajudicial killings of so-called "underworld" figures as they "try to escape" is becoming too common in the evening news. Here are the five reported police shooting in the last 3 months.
01) "Gona-Kovile Ra’ja", killed in a shootout with police in Minuwangoda
Date: June 07, 2020 | Location: Minuwangoda
INCIDENT
The Peliyagoda division of the Crimes Investigations Unit raided a house in Minuwangoda following information received that an underworld leader was present at the house. The suspect has opened fire at the Police triggering a shoot out between the two parties. Police said the suspect died of gunshot injuries.
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Pathirage Raja Wimaladharama alias ‘Gona Kovile Raja’ was wanted for many crimes including the 2008 murder of Ranjan Silva.
02) Lunawa, Moratuwa Road Block Shooting", 39-year-old three-wheel driver shot dead
Date: July 10, 2020 | Location: Moratuwa
INCIDENT
Two three-wheelers were stopped at the road-block and were being inspected by the Police officers on duty. The Police claimed that some men in the three-wheelers attacked the policemen on duty and attempted to obstruct them from carrying out their duties. One policeman then opened fire using his official weapon injuring one of the men. The injured man was admitted to hospital but he succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
03) A gunman working for ‘Angoda Lokka’ identified as Asitha Hemathilake alias ‘Solta’
Date: August 11, 2020 | Location: Mulleriyawa
INCIDENT
Solta was killed when he attempted to hurl a grenade at Police officers at Welivita, Mulleriyawa.
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Solta was the main gunmen working for recently deceased underworld figure ‘Angoda Lokka’. Solta was a wanted suspect for multiple homicides in Sri Lanka Including killing a woman inside a beauty salon in 2017 in Kottawa.
04) "Chamiya" shot dead in Gampaha
Date: August 24, 2020 | Location: Mulleriyawa
INCIDENT
According to Police, Chaminda Sandamal Edirisooriya alias ‘Chamiya’ was shot dead after he attempted to grab a weapon from a Policeman at Oruthota in Gampaha.
The suspect was being taken under Police guard to recover a weapon when the incident allegedly took place, Police added. The 41-year-old suspect was initially critically injured and subsequently succumbed while under treatment at the Gampaha General Hospital, Police further said.
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Police said ‘Chamiya’ was directly involved in the shooting inside the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court premises in 2015 which injured notorious underworld kingpin ‘Samayan’ also known as Aruna Udayashntha Pathirana who was later brutally gunned down two years later.
According to police the shooting at a Department of Prisons bus in February 2017, which eventually saw the end of ‘Samayan’ also coordinated by 'Chamiya'. The attack killed “Samayan” and 5 other inmates. Two prison officials also lost their lives in the shooting.
05) ‘Indra’ was shot dead by Police
Date: August 28, 2020 | Location: Navagamuwa
INCIDENT
‘Indra’ was recently arrested for heroin possession on Thursday (27). According to police, he was escorted to a location where he had hidden weapons used to commit multiple crimes. When returning back from a site, the suspect made and attempt to block the vision of the Police SUV driver and steer the SUV into the Kalani River, said Sri Lanka Police. In order to prevent that from happening police opened fire at the suspect. The suspect who was seriously injured in the shooting has died after being admitted to the Navagamuwa Regional Hospital, Navagamuwa.
The driver of the police jeep was also admitted to the Colombo National Hospital in a critical condition, police said.
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According to police Indra was a shooter of the underworld leader Samayan and was involved in a number of crimes including murder, robbery and attempted murder, extortion rackets, heroin trafficking and other crimes.