Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the 12 February shooting incident at the Meegoda Economic Centre, police said yesterday (18).

The arrested suspects are aged 39 and 44 years while they are residents of Imbulgama and Kadawatha respectively.

A woman was critically injured after being shot during an armed robbery at a shop within the economic centre last week, carried out by two unidentified gunmen who had arrived on a motorcycle.

Meegoda Police had launched an investigation into the incident and had received information that the motorcycle used by the assailants was hidden in the Kirillawala area in Kadawatha.

Following a raid carried out on Saturday (17) based on this information, police officers had recovered the motorcycle in question along with a helmet, a knife, and a shirt within the room of a restaurant.

The owner of the said restaurant who had kept the motorcycle hidden and another individual who had provided the suspects with accommodation have been arrested by Police for allegedly aiding and abetting the shooting incident.

The Police headquarters moved to discipline several police officers who were stationed at the Meegoda Economic Centre for their inaction during the shooting. Following the shooting, a vendor at the centre had complained that the Police officers attached to the Police post at the economic centre, had failed to prevent the crime and respond on time.