A court order has been issued, instructing that the two service pistols of the two police personnel assigned for the protection of MP Uddika Premarathne be submitted to the government analyst immediately for forensic examinations.

The relevant order was issued by Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Nalaka Sanjeewa Jayasuriya, while the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was also ordered to submit the relevant analyst’s to the court.

The order directing for the police personnel’s service pistols to be submitted to the government analyst was issued in an effort to determine whether or not the firearms in question had been used in the shooting incident targeting MP Uddika Premarathne reported last month.

At around 10:35 p.m. on 17 September, a group of unidentified gunmen had opened fire at MP Premarathne’s car soon after he returned to his residence in Anuradhapura. The parliamentarian had managed to escape unharmed.

The perpetrators, who had arrived in a car, had targeted the parliamentarian who was walking towards the house after parking his vehicle.

The left rear door glass of Premarathne’s car was damaged in the shooting for which the gunmen were believed to have used a pistol.

Anuradhapura police initiated investigations soon after the incident was reported and Special Task Force (STF) personnel were deployed to beef up the security near the MP’s house.

Later, investigations into the matter were handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).