One person died and three others were injured and admitted to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in a clash between two parties that occurred around 12.45 a.m. yesterday (08) at the Galle Magalle IOC Fuel Filling Station.
A heated altercation that erupted regarding the parking of a vehicle in front of a car that had been stationed at the queue at the petrol filling station had led to the crime. A group equipped with daggers and swords had attacked the other group killing one and injuring three others.
The victim was identified as D.W. Achira Salinda (25), a resident of Yatagala Wanchawala in Akmeemana who was a student of General Sir John Kotelawala Defense University. A brother of the deceased, D.W Udayakantha, the owner of the car, Chamara Hasitha Paranavithana and one of the party who committed the assault are receiving treatment at the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, and their condition is reported not be serious, according to Karapitiya hospital sources.
The owner of the car, a friend of the deceased person, had been waiting in the petrol queue at the said station for four days. The victim along with his brother and wife had gone for tea to a nearby restaurant at Magalle. On their return they had noticed another car had been parked before their vehicle to which they had protested. Subsequently, a heated argument had followed between the parties which led to the attack.
“They had first attacked the deceased’s brother and also damaged his vehicle. Later, the deceased also had intervened in the conflict and he was later beaten to death using daggers and swords,” Galle Harbor Police said. Police investigations reveal that both the mother and father of the deceased youth had died several years ago. The father was an Army Officer and had died in the Jayasikuru Operation. The mother was a teacher who had died in a car accident in 2015.
The post-mortem on the deceased youth was to be conducted at the Galle Karapitiya Teaching Hospital.