Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon on Tuesday (13) visited the residence of the police Sergeant who succumbed to his injuries after being shot while attempting to apprehend a suspect in the Malwathu Hirpitiya area recently.

The bereaved family of the late officer was also offered compensation of Rs. 1 million on behalf of the Sri Lanka Police.

The Police Sergeant was posthumously promoted to the rank of Sub-Inspector (SI) on Monday (12) on orders of the Acting IGP.

A scuffle had broken out amidst an attempt by a team of officers of the Malwathu Hiripitiya Police Station to apprehend a suspect in the Batepola area in the early hours of Saturday (10) during which the suspect tried to grab the service firearm of the police officer in question.

The firearm had then discharged, injuring the officer, while the suspect fled with the weapon. 

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

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 go into 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.