Chamara Indrajith, who was arrested in connection with yesterday’s jewellery shop robbery and shootout in Matara, has been shot and killed by police officers when he allegedly attempted to hurl a grenade at them. 

The suspect had been accompanied by police to recover a hidden bag of clothes when he had allegedly attempted to hurl a grenade at the policemen, prompting them to open fire at him. 

Initially police said that the suspect was shot and injured, however it was later confirmed that he had succumbed to injuries while being taken to the hospital.  

One police officer was killed, two other police officers and two civilians were injured and hospitalised following the shootout outside a jewellery shop in the Matara town, between several armed men wearing helmets who were robbing the store and policemen responding to a witness phone call, at around 10.45am yesterday.

Following a search operation carried out in the vicinity by the police immediately after the gun battle, one of the suspects was caught in the Hunukotuwa area. 

The suspect was later identified as Chamara Indrajith Jayasundara, a resident of Maligathenna in Veyangoda. 

He is also the main suspect in the shooting and killing of an individual and injuring four others including a pregnant woman during a musical show at Nittambuwa on April 21, 2018. 

Three other suspects were arrested after they had admitted themselves into the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital with gunshot wounds. They are currently receiving treatment at the hospital ICU.