Police officer shot during arrest attempt succumbs to injuries

The Police Sergeant who was shot and injured and had his weapon taken away while trying to apprehend a suspect in the Malwathu Hiripitiya area, has succumbed to injuries at the Colombo National Hospital. 

Meanwhile the suspect and a female have been arrested by Police Special Task Force (STF) along with the missing firearm during a raid at Bingiriya last night (11), police said.

A scuffle had broken out during an attempt by a team of officers from the Malwathu Hiripitiya Police Station to apprehend a suspect in the Batepola area in the early hours of Saturday (10) while the suspect had attempted to grab the firearm of the police officer during the incident.

The firearm had then discharged injuring the police officer in question while the suspect had then fled with the officer’s service firearm. 

The injured Police Sergeant, a 51-year-old resident of Ihala Lunugama, had been admitted to the Gampola Hospital while he was later transferred to the Colombo National Hospital, where he had succumbed to injuries. 

Meanwhile, based on information received on the incident, the Police STF had managed to apprehend the suspect while he was in hiding at a residence in the Bingiriya area. 

The revolver belonging to the Police Sergeant, three 9mm bullets and the three-wheeler used by the suspect have been taken into custody.

A woman who had aided and abetted the suspect to remain in hiding has also been arrested. 

The arrested suspect is a 42-year-old resident of Wathuragama while the female suspect is a 35-year-old resident of Udubaddawa.