Three shot dead, one injured in Moratuwa

By J. Jayasinghe and Kapila Somaratne

Three men were killed and another seriously wounded when a gunman brandishing a T-56 weapon burst into their home in Moratuwa and shot them at point blank range on Friday night, Police told the "Sunday Observer."

The shooting had taken place around 10.30 p.m. while the men were enjoying a drink at their residence at M.G.C. Fernando Mawatha in Moratuwa area. The assailant had fled the scene soon afterwords.

According to Moratuwa police it is not yet known whether the assassin was accompanied by other gunmen as well. The police have identified the three deceased as Warnakulasuriya Mendis, (24) Warnakulasuriya Dulip Mendis (31) W.S. Fernando (39), a three wheeler taxi driver. The injured man, Manju was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at the Colombo South Teaching Hospital. He is in a critical condition, police said.

The police suspect the shooting may have been due to a property dispute.

A cordon and search operation has been launched by the Moratuwa police to apprehend the suspect, under the supervision of SSP Mount Lavinia, Edison Gunatilaka.