Daily NEWS Srilanka

An armed member of the underworld who barged into Ambalangoda Fisheries Harbour which is under tight security of the Navy had shot a millionaire businessman on the head and

It has been revealed at police investigations that the cause of this murder had been a long-term conflict between the chief of the Podi Lassie gang and the underworld gang, the latter of which had been given leadership by Manoj Mendis who had been murdered sometime back.

It is indeed something of special significance to note how this murder was committed by an element of the underworld at a time when 8 armed Navy officers were on duty at the fisheries harbour and had made his escape scot free. K.W. Susantha the victim was a millionaire businessman who was trading in fish, living in Ambalangoda, Galle. Evidence has been uncovered that Susantha who claimed ownership to several fishing boats has maintained an alliance with Podi Lassie. Susantha who lived in Hirewaththa, Ambalangoda happens to be a father of 2 children.

The victim had come to Ambalangoda Fisheries Harbour last morning for the purpose of trading the haul of fish brought in by his boats. At the time when the haul of fish brought by the boats were being weighed, the armed assailant who was also clad with his face covered had come to this spot and most unanticipatedly aimed gun shots on the businessman's head and at the moment of the incident there had been large number of customers at the fisheries harbour, it was reported. The armed gunman who did the shooting had darted out from the fisheries harbour and had got on to a motor cycle parked there and then made his escape. The businessman who was the victim of the shooting succumbed on the spot where the shooting took place.

Some months ago Manoj Mendis was subjected to murder and the finger was pointed at Podi Lassie and his gang for that killing. At that time Podi Lassie was in jail and about 2 months before when Podi Lassie had been bailed out by Galle Courts, accomplices of Manoj Mendis had planned to kill him, it was reported. Podi Lassie had been aware of this plan well in advance and had travelled from Galle Courts towards Kosgoda by boat and it had been Susantha the victim who was murdered yesterday that helped him go by boat this way, it was revealed at investigations. Susantha has had death threats for having provided support to Podi Lassie. No suspects had been apprehended even till last evening in connection with this murder.