Cop guarding shop with terror links knifed

Rafik JALALDEEN

COLOMBO: A Police Constable attached to Kotahena police was knifed to death by unidentified men on Tuesday night at Jampata Street, Kotehena while guarding a shop banned by the Terrorist Investigations Division (TID) on a Court order.

Police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara said following a Court order under the Prevention Act, the shop Kawat Graphic at Jampata street was closed on suspicion of terrorist activities. “Since then police were providing security to the location,” he added.

PC Bandara Gamage Herath 24 attached to Kotehena police was on duty near the shop when the incident took place around 9.20 p.m. “Unidentified suspects slashed Herath’s neck by a sharp

knife and fled,” SSP Gunasekera told the Daily News.

He said a trishaw driver had found the PC struggling for his life on the floor with his uniform soaked in blood. PC Herath was brought to the Colombo National Hospital with the police help. He succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

PC Herath was a resident of Naula, Matale.