There are only few days to end 2020. Beginning of this year, on the 19th of January, we heard the sad news that a police officer had accidentally fired a gun at a monk who was walking down the street and died.
However, the situation has now reached a critical level. The number of suspects arrested and shot dead during police operations is rise up.
Nine suspects arrested by the police since June to until today in this year have died. The most recent incident took place this morning (28) at Veyangoda-Halgampitiya.
The deceased has been identified as Nishantha Kumarasiri, 37, a resident of Veyangoda-Banduragoda. He is a defendant in three high court cases pending the possession of a live grenade and robbery.
The suspect was charged with attempting to commit murder by cutting off the leg of a man named Sunanda, who was allegedly involved in a cannabis dispute in Maligathenna, Veyangoda on December 19. He was arrested on the 23rd at the Kuruwita police area. After his arrest, he was handed over to the Western Province North Peliyagoda CID.
An incident had taken place when he was taken to Halgampitiya for an operation this morning.
Accordingly, 09 suspects have been killed in police shootings so far.
It is noteworthy that all these shootings have taken place under the Senior DIG in charge of the Western Province.