Oil mill owner shot dead in Padaviya

The Padaviya Police said that a businessman had been shot dead on May 16 night at Mahasenapura area, sixth mile post on the Pulmoddai Road in Padaviya.The deceased is Rathugamage Sirantha Rasika Wijesena (38), a father of two who was resident at the sixth mile post, Mahasenpura.

According to the police, someone had called out to the deceased at about 6.55 pm on May 16 and he had come outside as a result. Then the unknown gunman who had been hiding in a bush near the house, had shot him with a T-56 weapon and fled.

Police said the individual had died on the spot as a result of being shot in the head, chest and abdomen.They also said that the deceased was the owner of the coconut oil mill. This was the first time ever that someone had been killed in this manner in the Padaviya area the police said.

Padaviya police said four special teams of police officers have been deployed to investigate this crime.