TWO COPS AND MURDER SUSPECT SHOT AND INJURED

Gang involvement suspected

Two traffic constables, who were inquiring into a motor accident, and a murder suspect were injured when an unidentified gunman opened fire on them at Bulugaha Junction on the Colombo -Kandy Road yesterday afternoon.

The shooting took place at around 3.30 pm as hundreds of vehicles were passing the spot where a car and a tipper had been halted following an accident.

Two policemen on routine duty had requested help from the Peliyagoda Police Traffic Branch, who had sent the two constables to inquire into the accident at Bulugaha Junction -- which involved a car (that had come along the Kandy Road from Colombo) and a tipper that had entered the main road from a byroad.

Just after the drivers of the two vehicles had reached an amicable settlement to share the costs of repairs in the presence of the policemen, a man wearing a fullface helmet had ridden up on a motorbike and opened fire on them.

He had fired several shots from a 9mm pistol and ridden away.

The driver of the car that had been involved in the accident had then got into his car and driven off.

Police Spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said the two constables had been admitted to the National Hospital, Colombo and were out of danger.

One had a gunshot wound on his arm and the other on his thigh.

The driver of the crashed car had admitted himself to the Ragama Hospital shortly afterwards. He had two gunshot wounds and his condition was said to be serious.

He was later identified as Dadalle Manjula, a suspect in the murder of Peliyagoda Urban Councilor Shamila Sandaruwan (who was gunned down in his car on May 12, 2014), who is currently out on bail.

Kelaniya Division SSP Deshabandu Tennakoon said several police teams had been deployed to investigate the shooting which is believed to be gang related.

The suspect’s car had been badly damaged in the collision.