T-56 Killers Crash, Shoot a Lorry Driver, Steal a Bike and Vanish

COLOMBO (News 1st); What began as a deadly targeted shooting in Moratuwa quickly spiralled into a dramatic cross-city manhunt involving a crashed getaway vehicle, a wounded lorry driver, a hijacked motorcycle and an escape aboard a public bus.

Police have deployed seven investigation teams to track down the suspects behind the shooting death of a restaurant owner in the Soysapura area of Moratuwa, with investigators suspecting the attack was orchestrated by an organised crime figure involved in drug trafficking.

The shooting took place at around 8.45 p.m. on Tuesday (20) when three men arrived in a motor vehicle and opened fire at a restaurant in Soysapura.

The victim was identified as 49-year-old Pinnawala Appuhamilage Lasantha Kumara, better known as "Raththaran", a resident of Sandalankawa, Pannala.

A woman from Thelawala, Moratuwa, who had arrived at the restaurant to purchase food, was also caught in the incident and sustained a gunshot injury to her right leg. Hospital sources said her injuries were not life-threatening.

According to information gathered by investigators, one of the suspects entered the premises carrying a T-56 assault rifle, opened fire and fled the scene with the two accomplices in the same vehicle.

However, what appeared to be a carefully planned getaway soon began to unravel.

While fleeing, the suspects' vehicle collided with a motorcycle. The motorcyclist reportedly gave chase, but eventually lost sight of the vehicle.

Police said the suspects travelled through Soysapura, Katubedda, Rawathawatta, Moratumulla and the Kospalana Bridge before their vehicle suddenly broke down in the Suwarapola area of Piliyandala due to a fault in one of its front wheels.

With their escape disrupted, the three suspects abandoned the vehicle and attempted to stop a passing lorry while brandishing the T-56 weapon.

The lorry driver refused to stop.

Police said the suspects then opened fire at the vehicle, injuring the driver. Despite being wounded, the driver continued his journey and later admitted himself to the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital for treatment.

After failing to commandeer the lorry, the suspects turned their attention to a passing motorcyclist. Investigators said they fired shots into the air, threatened the rider and seized the motorcycle before fleeing once again.

The escape route continued only a short distance.

Police said that at the Piliyandala Bypass Junction, two of the suspects got off the motorcycle, leaving only the gunman to continue the journey.

Investigations have since revealed that the gunman rode the stolen motorcycle to Siddhamulla before abandoning it and boarding a Kottawa-Mount Lavinia bus in a final attempt to evade capture.

The motorcycle was later recovered by Police in Siddhamulla on Tuesday night.

Investigators have also taken possession of the suspects' abandoned vehicle and discovered it had been operating with a fake number plate. Police said the registration number actually belongs to a three-wheeler owned by a resident of Nugegoda.

The slain businessman had operated the restaurant in Soysapura on a rental basis for nearly ten years.

Police revealed that the establishment had been targeted before. The restaurant came under attack in 2019, prompting the deployment of two police officers for protection by the Mount Lavinia Police.

Despite that security presence, the premises was again targeted in January 2020 when an unidentified gunman opened fire. Police said those earlier attacks had been linked to two organised crime figures and drug traffickers operating from overseas.

The latest killing comes amid continuing concerns over organised criminal violence.

Police statistics show that 39 organised shootings have been reported across Sri Lanka so far this year, leaving 25 people dead.

The Moratuwa killing is also the fifth shooting this year targeting a hotel or restaurant owner.

Authorities say 18 gunmen have been arrested in connection with organised shootings this year, along with 15 riders and 130 individuals accused of supporting criminal operations.

Police have also seized 987 weapons during anti-crime operations this year, including 16 T-56 assault rifles, 42 pistols and 28 revolvers.

With seven police teams now pursuing multiple leads, investigators are focusing on the suspected involvement of organised crime and narcotics networks behind what appears to be yet another carefully planned underworld execution.