olice Spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa revealed that a total of 44 lives have been tragically claimed by gun violence incidents in the year 2023 thus far. Speaking at a media conference in Colombo, SSP Thalduwa shed light on the disturbing trend, identifying the majority of these incidents as revenge attacks orchestrated by members of organized criminal gangs.
DIG Deshabandu Tennakoon, who oversees the Western Province, emphasized the crucial role of law-abiding citizens in curbing the escalating crime rate within the country. Addressing an event at a school in Panadura, DIG Tennakoon stressed that it falls upon the police to eradicate the prevailing fear of crime, with drug abuse emerging as a central factor driving criminal activities.
He elaborated on the psychological distortion induced by drug addiction, which often leads individuals to commit thefts, robberies, and even murders. These insightful comments come in the wake of a harrowing incident in Thalduwa, Avissawella, where four individuals traveling in a three-wheeler fell victim to a ruthless drive-by shooting on the night of September 20. Tragically, two of them lost their lives, while the remaining two sustained critical injuries.
Reports indicate that the assailants, arriving on a motorcycle, unleashed a barrage of approximately 25 shots upon the unsuspecting victims, employing a T-56 firearm. Law enforcement authorities suspect the involvement of the notorious criminal figure “Manna Ramesh,” who is believed to be evading capture in Dubai, UAE.
