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Organised crime gunfights continue, while Dubai nabs wanted suspect
View(s):By Ishu Bandara
Underworld-related shootings carried on into the new year with further incidents, including one in Dehiwala on Friday night.
After a shooting incident on New Year’s Eve related to an incident of drug trafficking, two more incidents have been reported, including the Dehiwala incident where a shop owner was shot and seriously injured. He died later.
Initial reports said that a long-standing rivalry had led to the incident.
However, in connection with the shooting incident reported in Bodhiyawatta, Kalubowila, on December 31, 2025, a day before the New Year, four suspects were arrested and produced before the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court on Friday, January 9. They were further remanded until January 23, as ordered by the magistrate.
Some of the items found in connection with the shooting incident in Kalubowila on December 31
The suspects, aged 25, 28, 33, and 45 years, according to police, include the motorcycle rider, the shooter, the weapon transporter, and an accomplice who provided shelter.
Police said the shooting on December 31 was linked to a clash between two organised criminal groups involved in drug trafficking. Officers recovered three revolvers, ten 9mm cartridges, 50g of heroin, 55g of “ice”, and two motorcycles allegedly used in the crime.
From this incident, the innocent victim, a 16-year-old girl who was standing near her home in Bodhiyawatta, was injured and admitted to the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital.
Another shooting incident occurred around 10:00 p.m. on January 1 on Korathota Manikagara Road, Nawagamuwa, targeting three men, police said. A 20-year-old youth from Borella was killed at the scene, while two others from Ambalantota and Dematagoda were injured and admitted to Homagama Hospital.
On Friday, January 9, the 57-year-old owner of a hotel on Marine Drive, Dehiwala, was shot in the head by two individuals reportedly drinking outside the hotel. He later died at Kalubowila Hospital, police said.
In the meantime, police sources said, Konda Ranji, the alias of Sri Lankan national Ranjith Kumara, was arrested by authorities at Dubai Airport while attempting to travel to Italy on Thursday, 8 January. He was reportedly travelling with his wife and child. His family was released, and he remains in police custody. He is believed to have been using forged, or non-original, travel documents.
The arrest is linked to a Red Notice issued in connection with a 2019 case involving the possession of three kilograms of heroin. He is also linked to a shooting incident that occurred about five months ago in Kadana, in which the personal secretary of the late Minister Mangala Samaraweera was killed.
While Sri Lankan authorities are in discussions to secure his return, the process is complicated because Dubai is not a signatory to certain international extradition agreements. The final decision rests with the Dubai courts, which have previously released suspects in similar cases. Separately, it has been reported that Konda Ranji, alias Ranjith Kumara, owns a United Arab Emirates Golden Visa with a validity of 10 years.
Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepapala said the majority of the shooting incidents involved drug traffickers.
He said the police are investigating and taking measures to mitigate the situation.
Mr Wijepala emphasised that, unlike in the past, the public’s trust in the government and police is now a positive factor, as citizens are giving information about suspects, which helps speed up the investigation of each incident.
Meanwhile, in connection with the Kohuwala shooting, police released a hand-drawn sketch of a suspect, seeking public assistance. The sketch spread quickly on social media, raising questions about the use of new technology. It led to the mistaken arrest of a wayside shop owner from Deraniyagala by Borella Police on 2 January. He was released on the afternoon of January 3.
When the Sunday Times asked about the increase in shooting incidents since the beginning of 2026, Police Media Spokesman F.U. Wootler said, “We have officially indicated that by the end of 2026, we expect to have successfully addressed the issue of illegal weapons circulation. We believe that the authorities will be able to bring these weapons into police custody within that time frame.”
According to him, special, discreet arrangements have been made under the directives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure that these firearms are recovered. He said the police cannot achieve this goal alone; it requires a collective effort involving the police, intelligence services, and a vigilant public.
“To meet this goal, the Sri Lanka Police have significantly increased the frequency of searches and raids. We are thoroughly checking information and have already conducted extensive operations. Many of these weapons are remnants of the 30-year war. They moved from the north and east to the south, where they are now being circulated among unwanted personalities and organised crime figures who use them to fight for power and money,” said ASP Wootler.
He expressed confidence that, while organised crime and the circulation of weapons pose a challenge to the police, the current process of increased detection combined with public support will lead to a satisfactory resolution very soon.
The Sunday Times learns that questioning of serious drug trafficking suspect Kehelbaddara Padme continues. He was deported from Indonesia and is in Sri Lankan custody under a 180-day detention order. Authorities say the suspect is not voluntarily providing information, and investigators must confront him with the evidence they have uncovered.
A significant obstacle, the Sunday Times understands, is that Padme has sought legal protection to halt questioning, reportedly through a fundamental rights petition. Under Sri Lankan criminal law, the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, which is a difficult standard to meet, particularly in linking a mastermind to a crime. Criminals often use encrypted apps and make it nearly impossible to obtain communication records as evidence under current laws.
Padme remains in detention, which can be extended up to a maximum of 360 days.
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