Daily NEWS Srilanka

As a result of gunfire aimed at a team of police officers who were on their way to conduct a raid connected to narcotics day-before-yesterday night in Piliyandala, one police officer died while 4 others sustained serious injuries. By now as reported, this incident concerned was launched for the purpose of killing the police officers who were on the tracks of the drug-traffickers, previously arranged by using a normal person of the underworld to act the role concerned after providing a false tip-off, while misdirecting them to go round and

Police inspector Rangajiva who is a clever police officer who currently is under treatment at the National Hospital with serious injuries in this incident has been at the forefront of this raid to be conducted under disguise. Though he had gone with the idea of launching the raid while in the process of putting the drug-deal through an agreement discussed over the phone with the dealer a few days ago, also with the money in hand at the agreed location in Dehiwala, the underground henchman had changed the transaction that day and had asked him to come to Boralesgomuwa. Later when the team led by Rangajiva had gone to Boralesgomuwa, that too had been changed.

It was after that a place at Piliyandala had been fixed two days before the incident. The police team had got caught to the net laid by the underworld element and when officers led by Rangajiva were on their way for the raid armed with Rs. 40 lakhs in a small Alto type motor car, the police have been taken on a ride directing them here and there in Piliyandala and finally had directed them to come near People's Bank at which point this attack was launched. Two persons who had come armed on a motor cycle had fired at their vehicle, in the process of which a police constable died while another police constable and Police Sub Inspector Rangajiva were seriously injured. As a result of shooting right round, 2 small children at a nearby kiosk and another person suffered injuries. The condition of one injured girl is serious, it was reported. The motor cycle used for this attack was later found abandoned at a spot down Dehiwala Road, Maharagama. Sub Inspector Rangajiva who took a prominent hand in this raid is now warded at National Hospital, Colombo Intensive Care Unit having faced serious injuries having received gunshots on his head, shoulders, spine and chest and is in a serious condition, it is reported.

Prior to this, it was Mr. Rangajiva who took pride of place in the massive raid of nabbing an Iran national possessing 111 kilos of heroin in the year 2016. In fact it is he who has the reputation in the police force of having conducted the most number of narcotic raids. Police suspect that this attack may have been planned with the motive of murdering Mr. Rangajiva by creating a false tip-off with underworld chief Madush taking a prominent hand in it.  

The person who has misled police in this instance was someone who had been taken into police custody with narcotics in his possession before this, it has been revealed. He has disconnected his telephone at present and police are on the tracks of this person as well as those involved in the attack.