• Youth suspect wanted in Panadura attempted murder arrested at BIA

A 30-year-old woman was reported dead while a 10-year-old boy has been injured following a shooting incident at Maranda in Marawila, the Police said. An unidentified gunman had opened fire at a woman who was in front of a residence in Maranda on Tuesday (22) and a young boy who was nearby was also injured in the shooting. 

Meanwhile, a suspect wanted by the Police in connection with an attempted murder by shooting in the Panadura Police Division was arrested on Tuesday by officers of the Criminal Investigation Department at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake. 

The suspect was identified through the Facial Recognition System installed at the BIA after he arrived at the Airport to board a flight bound for Malaysia. The 28-year-old suspect, Ramesh Peshala, was wanted for the attempted murder of Hasitha Dulaj in a shooting incident that occurred in the Hirana area of the Panadura Police Division on 11 July. He was arrested at 10.40 a.m. on Tuesday, after arriving at the BIA in an attempt to board the AirAsia flight AK-44, which was scheduled to depart for Malaysia. 

Later, a team of officers from the Criminal Investigation Branch of the Panadura Police arrived at the Airport and took the suspect into their custody.