7 killed in prison bus attack in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: At least seven persons, including an underworld don, were killed on Monday when a Sri Lankan prison bus was attacked by unidentified men wearing uniforms similar to the police, the single deadliest incident of its kind in the country for years.

The attackers opened fire on the bus transporting prisoners from Kalutara prison in southwestern Sri Lanka to a magistrate court, police media spokesman Priyantha Jayakody said.

Notorious underworld figure Aruna Damith Udayanga alias ‘Samayan’, two prison officials and four other prisoners died in the attack.

The prisoners were being transported to a court case at the Colombo suburb of Kaduwela when the assailants, numbering about 15 wearing uniforms similar to the police opened fire at the prison bus. They later entered the bus and were involved in an exchange with the two prison guards in the bus.

He said seven persons were killed and four injured.

The bus was attacked at Nagaha junction in Kalutara.

Another two officers critically injured in the gunfire have been admitted to a hospital, the police said.

There have been a number of shootings targeting prison buses.

Another suspected gang leader was injured in a prison bus shooting in the capital last March.