Underworld figure and drug kingpin Dilip Rohana alias Dileepa was killed yesterday evening in a shootout with the Special Task Force (STF) in Mailapitiya.
According to the Police, Dileepa was wanted by the Organized Crime Investigation Division as well as the STF for a number of crimes. The incident had taken place around 6.30 pm when the STF arrived at a house located in Mailapitiya in order to arrest the underworld figure.
Police say he had shot at the STF and was killed in a return fire. Investigating officers recovered a 6 mm pistol used in the shooting while going on to arrest a woman who was accompanying Dileepa at the time.
“The suspect was had succumbed to his injuries while being transported to the Kandy Teaching Hospital following the shooting” Police Spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara said.
Dileep is said to be a close associate of prominent underworld figure Dhadallage Manju alias D. Manju who was also killed during a shootout with the STF on February 23 in Wattala.
While known as one of the main drug distributors in the Western province he was also the main arms supplier to prominent underworld figure, late Aruna Udayashantha alias Samayan.
Dileepa had been continuing with the underworld gangs activities following the death of D. Manju, the Police said.