The police have arrested three individuals on suspicion of their complicity in the shooting incident in which a 62-year-old was killed early this morning (July 19).
The victim died on the spot after being gunned down at his residence in the area of Kokgalla in Amabalantota.
Speaking on the matter, police spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa confirmed that the deceased did not have any criminal record. However, an individual accused of being involved in illegal cattle slaughtering had been living in his house. This person had not been home at the time of the incident.
Meanwhile, the victim’s son is believed to have been targeted by the gunmen, whose motive remains unclear. A personal dispute is suspected to be the main reason, the police spokesperson said.
The perpetrators had arrived at the victim’s house shortly after midnight and had been looking through one of the windows.
A small girl who was inside the house at the time had shouted in fear upon seeing them, prompting the victim to come out of the house and check.
At that moment, the gunmen had opened fire on him before fleeing the scene.
Two of the arrestees, aged 28 and 35, were residents of the same area. The other suspect, 32, is reportedly a resident of Gannoruwa.
According to the police spokesperson, the gunmen have used two locally-manufactured firearms and have fired three shots at the victim.
