OIC Harbour Police dies after shooting

Security in city tightened

By Jayampathy Jayasinghe

Security in the City of Colombo was tightened following the shooting of OIC Crimes Harbour police, Inspector Pathirathna (36) who succumbed to his injures yesterday morning at the Colombo National hospital.

SSP Colombo North, Jayantha Kulatilleka has deployed a special team to apprehend the killer on the instructions of IGP Victor Perera.

Inspector Pathiratne was shot by an unidentified assailant wearing a helmet around 9.45 p.m. on Friday near a supermarket at George R. de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 13. A man who was near a lottery booth who witnessed the shooting had seen the assailant running away after the shooting. But he had not seen how he escaped. Inspector Pathiratne was on his way home to Sapugaskanda, police said.

The Inspector had fallen after the assailant fired four shots at him. He was shot with a 9 mm pistol. Passers-by who heard the shooting rushed to the spot and despatched the Inspector to the Colombo National Hospital. Inspector Pathiratna succumbed to his injuries after undergoing emergency surgery in hospital yesterday. Inspector Pathiratne had served the Police Department for about 10 years.

Senior DIG and Media spokesman Jayantha Kulatilake said the motive for the shooting is being investigated. He said it was not clear whether the shooting was due to a personal vendetta or whether it was related to an official matter. DIG Colombo Nimal Mediweka said that every effort will be made to trace the killer.

[email protected]