On-duty police constable killed by drunk driver at New Year checkpoint

A police officer on duty for New Year celebrations was killed after being struck by a car driven by an intoxicated motorist who ignored orders to stop in southern Sri Lanka, police said.

The incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. Thursday at a police checkpoint near the Walawa River bridge in the Ambalantota area. Police said officers signaled a car traveling toward Ambalantota to stop, but the vehicle continued at speed and rammed into the officers on duty.

The deceased was identified as Police Constable M. Sarath Kumara, 42, a father of two from the Suriyawewa–Weeriyagama area.

A Civil Defence Force officer who was also on duty at the checkpoint was injured in the crash and admitted to the Ambalantota government hospital.

Police later located the vehicle abandoned in an area close to Ambalantota town and arrested the driver and another occupant. Both were found to be heavily intoxicated at the time of arrest, police said.

Investigations into the incident are continuing. (Newswire)

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