Sri Lanka: Police launch probe into shooting at ex-president’s aide

Colombo: Sri Lankan police said Sunday they are investigating a shooting incident targeting the vehicle of a former aide of ex-president Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Thusitha Halloluwa, the former Director General of Public Relations to Wickremesinghe, was travelling with his lawyer and another person in Colombo’s suburb of Narahenpita Saturday night when two motorcycle-borne persons blocked their path and opened fire.

They assaulted Hallouwa and others before fleeing.

The police said that an investigation has been launched.

A confidential file in Hallouwa’s possession was stolen by gunmen.

The police said no one was injured in the shooting incident. The vehicle suffered damage from firing.

Hallloluwa, in recent weeks, was quizzed by the CID over a defamatory statement made against President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Firing incidents have been on the rise in Sri Lanka since January this year. In over 40 such incidents until mid-May, around 30 people have been gunned down.

The police attributed the killings to gang warfare between rival drug peddlers.

PTI

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