Two youths were killed in a shooting incident on Sinhasana Road, Dondra in front of the southern entrance of the Sri Vishnu Devalaya, at around 11.45 pm yesterday (March 21).
It is reported that gunmen in a van had gunned down two young men on a motorbike with a T-56 and two 9mm firearms before fleeing.
According to police, the two victims had been shot while returning from a birthday celebration of a friend at a residence in the Kapugampura area of Devinuwara.
The victims have been identified as Yomesh Nadishan and Pasindu Tharuka, both 28 years old, residents of Sinhasana Road, Devinuwara.
Initial investigations have revealed that the van had hit the bike from behind and then shot the two youths.
At the crime scene, police have recovered 39 T-56 bullet casings, two T-56 rounds of live ammunition, two 9 mm bullet casings, and two 9mm live ammunition.
Police have found a van suspected of being used by the shooters, set on fire, on a side road about 800 meters from the crime scene. A T-56 magazine and additional T-56 bullet casings have also been found inside the vehicle.
The Magistrate’s inquest at the crime scene was conducted by Matara Additional Magistrate – Malan Shiran Jayasuriya in the early hours of today (March 22).
