SUSPECTED WHITE VAN FOUND

Kalutara prison bus shooting:

A white van, suspected to had been used for Monday’s shooting in Kalutara was found in Moragahahena in Horana last night, the Police said.

They said the van was found abandoned near a cab service in the Moragahahena Junction.

The Police are investigating to determine whether the vehicle was the one that was used by the assailants to flee from the crime scene after the shooting. The Police identified the cab, which was used to block the Prisons Bus for the shooting, as belonging to a businessman in Athurugiriya. They said the owner was absconding. The Police said five Police teams were investigating the incident. So far investigations have revealed the shooting was carried out by the two prominent underworld gang leaders in Kaduwela and the Southern Province.

Seven people including notorious underworld figure Aruna Damith Udayanga Pathirana alias ‘Samayan’ and two prison guards were killed, when gunmen opened fire at the Black Maria in which they were being transported from Malwatte Prison in Kalutara. Meanwhile, Minister of Prisons D. M. Swaminathan had informed the Prisons Department to make necessary security arrangements in future while transporting these kinds of dangerous suspects to avoid such situations.

The Minister appointed a three member committee to prepare an independent report on the incident. Former Magistrate Judge Roomi Manshook has been appointed as the Chairperson of the committee, former DIG Gamini Nawarathna and former Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Defence S. Medawewa have also been appointed.

The Minister has informed them to prepare a detailed report at its earliest.