Air Force Corporal's Fatal Encounter Sparks Controversy

COLOMBO (News 1st); A Sri Lanka Air Force Corporal, who was attached to the SLAF Rugby pool, lost his life in a police shootout at a roadblock in the Padukka area.

Police Spokesperson DIG & Attorney-at-Law Nihal Thalduwa said that the deceased corporal was suspected to be the main gunman involved in the double murder that occurred yesterday in Horana.

A 33-year-old Air Force member, Corporal Dilantha Lakmal Rajapaksa, lost his life in the shooting incident. Dilantha was a member of the Air Force rugby squad.

A team comprising officers from the Western Province South Crime Division, alongside a contingent of Special Task Force officers, conducted a visit to his residence located in the Miriagalla area of Padukka, at around 2 am today.

It was reported by the authorities that Dilantha was not present at his residence during the time of the visit.

"The police visited our residence at around 2 AM. They had entered the house, because we do not close the door. I woke up, and then there was a police officer with a weapon. He told me to be seated, and I complied. They searched everything. They noted that the house was searched. My son was in the rugby team, so he was always in and out of the house for practices," said the father of deceased.

After thoroughly inspecting the premises, the police reported that they also conducted vehicle checks using roadblocks set up from the Angamuwa area in Padukka.

According to a News 1st correspondent, the police conducted the vehicle search approximately two kilometers away from Dilantha's residence.

During the operation, Dilantha, who arrived on a motorcycle around 4:15 in the morning, allegedly attempted to resist and even fired at the police.

Sri Lanka Police said that officers opened fire, and Dilantha who sustained injured was rushed to the Padukka Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds.

Authorities discovered a locally manufactured pistol at the scene of the shooting.

The police clarified that the operation was prompted by intelligence indicating that the deceased was connected to the double homicide that took place a day earlier, in Moragahahena.

The gruesome incident in Moragahahena on the 7th of April, involved assailants who arrived in a car, shooting at two individuals traveling in a three-wheeler.

The victims of this shooting, were two men who were charged with theft, and they were gunned down while returning from the Ratnapura Police.

However, the family members of the air force corporal contest that, aside from the motorcycle found at the scene, none of the other items belong to Dilantha.

"On Sunday morning, he was at our house. He left home in the morning to accompany a friend on the highway, only making a brief stop at another friend's house nearby. It was during this time that the police arrived. He has never been arrested for anything. He was serving in the air force, and had a good name among the villagers.We were shocked to learn in the early hours that he had been shot and killed, yet there were no grounds for his arrest. They had simply shot at him. The slippers found at the scene do not belong to him. The helmet found at the scene does not belong to him; it was simply on the bike. His sandals are still at home. He had his meal and then went to bed around eight thirty. Perhaps a friend called and he left thereafter. Regardless of his whereabouts, he always returns home in the morning to head to work," elaborated a relative.

However, the Sri Lanka Police at a media briefing said the deceased was linked to a criminal overseas.

"The information disclosed indicates that the deceased individual, is connected to the shooting incident, along with a person residing overseas. The person overseas is named Sampath. Notably, the house where the Sampath's wife and children currently reside is owned by the deceased individual. Furthermore, the individual residing abroad purchased the house and transferred ownership to the deceased. Detectives have uncovered details suggesting that the individual portrayed the transaction as a rental agreement. Additionally, it has been revealed that a Toyota car was utilized in the incident, and the deceased individual was also implicated in acquiring the vehicle for the shooting," said Police Spokeserson, DIG Nihal Thalduwa.

The Sri Lanka Air Force had launched an inquiry into the incident that took place in Padukka on Monday (8) morning involving an SLAF corporal attached to Airforce Rugby pool at a police checkpoint, which has resulted in his death.

Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe, the Director Media Airforce said that the Commander of the Airforce has initiated an inquiry into the incident.