One suspect, believed to have been involved in the killing of Deputy Chairman of the Karandeniya Pradeshiya Sabha, Donald Sampath on Friday, was arrested by the Police yesterday. According to the Police, the 22-year-old suspect, Asela Ranasinghe was arrested by the Uragasmanhandiya Police yesterday morning at the Uragasmanhandiya hospital where he was receiving treatment.
“When attempting to get away following the shooting, the motorcycle the suspects had arrived on, had toppled, causing injuries to the suspect,” Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said, adding that he had, thereafter, admitted himself to the hospital for treatment, claiming he had met with an accident.
Police also recovered a magazine containing 35 bullets meant for a T65 weapon, a mask and gloves. Investigation teams are on the lookout for the second suspect.
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) member Donald Sampath was shot and killed on Friday around 10.15 p.m. while he was returning home after attending a wedding in Yatagala, with his driver and a friend.
While the cab had slowed down to make a turn at Uragasmanhandiya, the gunman had opened fire, resulting in severe injuries to Sampath who was in the front passenger seat. The gunmen’s efforts to flee the incident were short-lived when the cab driver had driven forward colliding with the motorcycle in which the suspects had arrived. The motorcycle had veered off due to the collision.