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| Sunday, 6 June 2004 |
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Two shot dead in broad daylight by Jayampathy Jayasinghe Two bodyguards of Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Siripathy Suriyarachchi were shot dead last afternoon by unknown gunmen at Kiribathgoda. The assailants who had opened fire with an automatic weapon had fled the scene in a Hiace van, eyewitnesses said. There was a large crowd including several policemen present at the Deputy Minister's office at Kosala Road, Kiribathgoda when the presspersons visited the scene. At the time of the shooting, the two bodyguards were in their back-up vehicle at the entrance to the office. The policeman from the Ministerial Security Division (MSD) had valiantly fired at the assassin despite being hit by a hail of bullets. It is not known whether the assassin was injured in the process. Several rounds of 9.mm bullet casings were found at the scene, police said. The incident took place around 12.30. p.m. while Deputy Minister Suriyarachchi was presiding at a meeting at his office at Kosala Road. The Minister was unhurt as he was inside the office. His car was parked near his office. "It is too early to say whether the assassin had targeted the Deputy Minister but certainly his private bodyguard Wijesuriya alias Army Roshan was a target. We are making further inquiries," a senior police officer said. The police constable identified as Wasala was killed while seated inside the car. The private bodyguard 'Army Roshan' succumbed to his injuries at the National Hospital, Colombo. Several eyewitnesses had seen the assassin, along with another man and a driver fleeing the scene after the incident, police said. The DIG (North Western Province), Pathmasiri Liyanage and SSP Kelaniya Jagath Abeysiriwardena visited the scene of crime yesterday. ASP Kelaniya K. D. Somapala is directing investigations into the incident. |
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