ECONOMYNEXT- Sri Lanka has seen a rising trend of murders in same style in the island nation’s Southern and Western provinces with Police suspect the shootings related to drug trade and trafficking.
The island nation has witnessed five people aged between 23-37 years killed by unidentified gunmen came in either motorbike or three wheeler in Colombo, Aluthgama, Panadura, Ahangama, and Tangalle.
“As of now, there have been no arrests and no identifiable suspects to the shootouts. We suspect that the spike in shootouts is related to drug trade involvement and trafficking,” Police Spokesman Nihal Thalduwa told EconomyNext,
Some human rights defenders in the past have accused law enforcement agencies to have involved in such extra judiciary killings after a number of mysterious murders of suspected drug traffickers in the past.
Six people have died so far since May 30 in similar shootings while three individuals have been reported critically injured.
The first shootout took place on Monday, May 30, at Bastian Mawatha in Colombo by the bus stand, when two men on a motorbike had opened fire on two individuals, who was returning from court and was identified as an ex-military person.
In the latest incident on Monday (06), a 23-year old man was killed afrer a gunman in a three-wheeler shot him Colombo Modara area.
Related: https://economynext.com/shootout-in-colombo-sri-lanka-leaves-one-dead-one-injured-94906/
Police suspect that this shootout took place due to drug trafficking and trade, with on of the deceased has two court cases with drug involvement and for reselling drugs seized during raids. (Colombo/Jun6/2022)
