STF called in to help police nab cop killer

SI shot dead; Sergeant, PC in critical condition 

By Norman Palihawadana and R. M. W. Bandara-November 16, 2016

The STF has been called in to help the police track down a person who fled after killing police sub inspector Ratnabanda Dassanayake and causing grievous injuries to Sergeant Bandara and police constable Subasinghe on Tuesday night at a hotel at Maspotha in the Kurunegala Police Division.

The police arrested one of the persons involved in the incident in the Kurunegala town.

However, the gunman escaped.

Kurunegala police said that 59-year-old Sub Inspector was scheduled to retire in January, 2017.

Hospital sources said the condition of police constable Subasinghe was critical.

A four-man police team led by Sub Inspector Dassanayake had been on patrol when Kurunegala police directed the unit to search Paradise hotel, where a gang wanted in connection with several robberies, was staying.

As the police entered the hotel two suspects were asleep. One of them opened fire when the police tried to arrest them as they were not satisfied with documents pertaining to the car in the suspects’ possession.

Subsequent investigations revealed that the car belonged to a monk at Lunawa and it had been given to the gang through a rental agency for Rs. 120,000 a month.

All four police personnel were armed at the time of the incident, but they could not defend themselves.