Warakapola incident:

Six gang members shot dead

Chamikara Weerasinghe

Six of the seven member armed robber gang that shot dead two police officers who proceeded to arrest them while the gang was fleeing in a van after robbing a pawn shop in Warakapola on Friday evening died in a shootout. The shooting took place between them and the police in the Koskele area in Mirigama.

The gang fled to the Koskele jungle after their van got stuck in a trench on Dewala Road while they were fleeing after shooting the two constables who pursued them after the robbery.

A special posse of officers from the Alawwa, Warakapola, Kegalle, Ambepussa Police Stations supported by Army surrounded the forest to arrest the suspects.

Six of them died in a confrontation with the officers who were on their trail.

They opened fire at the police instead of surrendering, police said.

Police and Army search operations have been continuing for more than three days in the forest. One suspect still remains to be arrested.

Police are investigating on the directions of Kegalle Division Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP)A D H Bandusena.