Former Parliamentarian and presidential advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and two others have been killed in a shooting incident in Angoda, police says.
Parliamentarian Duminda Silva has been injured in the incident and hospitalized in critical condition. Jayawardhanapura hospital sources said that Silva was admitted in to the hospital with wounds in his head. Reports say he has had two bullets removed from his head.
Director of the Sri Jayawardenapura General Hospital Dr. Shavendra Gamage told that even after over four hours of surgery last evening a bullet still remained in Silva’s head and he was receiving treatment at the intensive care unit of the hospital.
The clash erupted when Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and Duminda Silva met each other face to face in Hindutana lane in Mulleriyawa just as voting in the local government election was about to end last evening.
A heated argument had ensued between the two and a bodyguard of MP Silva opened fire towards bodyguards of Presidential Advisor Premachandra. Gunshots were then traded between both sides and this resulted in Premachandra and two others being killed and Silva suffering serious injuries.
A large number of Duminda Silva’s supporters thronged to the Sri Jayewardenapura Hospital and some were even manning the security points in the hospital that led to the intensive care unit.
The youth stood side by side with the hospital security staff to check the passes given to the visitors to the hospital. Several VIPs also made their way to the hospital to inquire into Silva’s condition.
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was one of the first VIPs to arrive at the hospital and stayed at the hospital for over one hour. Director General of the Media Center for National Security (MCNS) Lakshman Hulugalle and several other state officials also arrived at the hospital.
Meanwhile, STF personnel were deployed to provide security to the hospital. Police and Special Task Force officers had been deployed in Mulleriyawa and a dusk to dawn curfew was also imposed till 6 a.m. this morning.
Police curfew has been imposed in Mulleriyawa police division until tomorrow (09) morning, police says.
RIP Mr Premachandra.
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