Suspended Prison Official Linked to Crime Fatally Shot

COLOMBO (News 1st); A chilling shooting near Thunbodhiya on the Horana–Panadura main road has left one man dead — and police say he was no ordinary victim.

The deceased has been identified as Lalith Kumara Kodagoda, a 57-year-old resident of Pinwila, Panadura South, and a close associate of notorious underworld figure Makadure Madush.

Kodagoda, a former officer at Kalutara Prison, had previously been suspended from duty after leaving the country without authorization.

His criminal ties run deep — police confirm he was arrested in Dubai in 2019 and extradited to Sri Lanka due to his involvement in organized crime.