March 09, 2010: Two suspects, believed to be members of the underworld operating in Colombo, were killed in police fire in a shrubbery area in Badagamuwa, Wellawa early today..
Police media spokesman SP Prishantha Jayakody said that they had a number of criminal charges against them.
The suspect who had escaped through the roof of the Wellawa police prison cell around four this morning had assaulted a police officer stationed for security at the location.
Police said that the suspects had then fled taking the officer's firearm with them.
The suspect who had then escaped commandeering a three wheeler had taken cover at an abandoned building in the Badagamuwa forest reserve in the Wellawa area.
However they were unable to evade the police.
Police media spokesman said that the two had been killed in an exchange of fire.
Subsequently, the police who inspected the building had discovered the bodies of the suspects and the stolen firearm.
Police noted that there were only two bullets out of the 30 that were in the firearm.
The suspects who were residents of the Bloemendhal area had gone by the aliases 'Usa Sampath' and 'Ahinsaka'.
Aged 30 and 28, the suspects were supporters of a person identified as Bloemendhal Dhanushka.
Bloemendhal Dhanushka, who was arrested over the murder of a millionaire businessman in the Maruluwawa area in Wellawa in August last year and the murder of a tuition teacher in Kurunegala in September last year, was killed in police fire in November last year.
Bloemendhal Dhanushka had taken up the leadership of the gang from the notorious underworld figure Prince Colum.
Police said that the suspects who were killed this morning were charged with 24 murders and over 100 robberies.
A police officer who was injured in the shoot out is receiving treatment at the Wellawa police.
Wellawa OIC Palitha Dias is heading an investigation into the incident under the supervision of Kurunegala SSP Vaas Gunawardene.
