Timber merchant dies, mother injured as gunman opens fire in their shop

A timber merchant was shot dead and his mother seriously injured when an unidentified gunman opened fire on them at their shop in Talawa town last afternoon, Police said.

The victim was identified as 48-year-old B.M.Gnanaratna. The gunman had come on a motorbike and opened fire on the timber merchant and when his mother C.S.Somawathie (73) came running into the shop on hearing the shots, she too was shot at, police said.

Both were rushed first to the Talawa Hospital and from there to Anuradhapura Hospital. Gnanaratna however succumbed to his injuries before he was taken in for an operation.