Businessman shot dead in Pinwatta, another in Ambalangoda

Two individuals were reported dead in two separate shootings that took place in Pinwatta, Panadura and in Ronnaduwa, Ambalangoda last morning.

The first incident was reported from the Pinwatta area around 8.00 a.m. where a businessman was shot dead by an unidentified gunman who came on a motorbike, while the businessman was on his way to the site where his new house is being constructed.

The victim, Anuradha Sampath Kudagoda (57) is a resident of Bangalawatta, Kirillawala, who owns several wine stores and other businesses in the Kadawatha area.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the murder has been committed by the gunman on a contract given by a third party either on a ransom-related or business-related dispute between them, police said.

Police have been successful in finding the evidence on the murder and the suspect or the suspects will be arrested soon, a senior police officer said.

The victim has had a habit of visiting the construction site of his new house every morning and accordingly, it is suspected that this murder is a well panned one.

The shooter has used only one bullet to kill the businessman who was driving the vehicle and therefore, it is clear that the shooter is a well-trained individual, police said.

Police had found an abandoned motorbike about three kilometers away from this scene of crime yesterday. It is suspected that this is the motorbike used by the gunman to chase the businessman’s vehicle in order to commit the crime. A jacket used by the bike riders and a number plate were also found at this place, police said. A resident of the area has seen the person who came on this bike attempting to change the number plate there and the suspect had fled when the resident questioned about this from him, police said.

The second murder was reported at Ambalangoda area around 9 a.m. yesterday while the victim was returning home after dropping his wife to her office, police said.

Two unidentified gunmen came on a motorbike had opened fire on this person using a T56 weapon, who was pronounced dead after being admitted to the Balapitiya Base Hospital. He is 41-year-old Namal Sudathsiri, a resident of Punchiwatta, Usmudulawa.

Panadura and Ambalangoda police are conducting investigations into the incidents.