The police have made an arrest in the death of a Sub-Inspector who was shot during a search of a suspicious vehicle in Kurunegala last night.
The 59-year-old cop, Dasanayake Ratna Banda, sustained life threading injuries after a suspect opened fire at him near a hotel in Maspotha area on Puttalam – Kurunegala road at around 10.00 pm.
At the time, three cops including the SI, a Sergeant and a Constrainable responding to a 119 emergency call had arrived at the location, police said.
Banda was shot and the two other cops were also wounded as they launched a counterattack against the gunman, it was reported. The wounded officials have been admitted to a hospital in Kurunegala.
The suspects had abandoned the car and fled the scene soon after the shooting. The police claim the suspects were in a car with stolen number plates.
A police investigation is underway to locate the other suspects.
