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Shootings continue into the new year, Minister Wijepala blames criminal gangs
View(s):By Ishu Bandara
Shootings have continued into the new year with the latest incident in Jinthupitiya, Colombo on Friday night.
A long standing dispute between two underworld gangs had allegedly led to the shooting of a 44-year-old man from Colombo 13 .He later died at the Colombo National Hospital.
Two children a four-year-old boy and three-year-old girl were injured during the shooting and taken to the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital. Although the government says the shootings involve underworld gangs and drug related activities, they are increasingly harming innocent people. Police said two attackers came in a three-wheeler, with one disguised in a burka.
Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala, commenting on the recent shooting incidents said, “These incidents are tragic, but they are often unintended consequences of criminals attacking each other. Organised crime is hard to stop because it is divided into many parts, for example, the weapons, ammunition, vehicles, shooters, and riders are often coordinated from different locations,” he said.
He also noted that many weapons currently in the hands of criminals were originally issued to underworld figures and politicians by past governments, adding that 12 weapons given to an underworld criminal named Madush are still missing. He added that some current criminal incidents may still have political backing, which the police are actively monitoring.
Apart from the recent shooting incidents, several other incidents were reported last week where police officers were accused of abusing their power.
In one such incident in Welikanda, police appointed an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) to investigate the death of a 27-year-old man following a police shooting. Police said the shooting occurred around 6 p.m. after the man, who was riding a motorcycle that ignored orders to stop, allegedly attempted to attack officers with a sharp weapon. He was admitted to Welikanda Hospital but later died. Police stated that the shooting was carried out to protect the officers’ safety and claimed that the deceased was involved in drug trafficking.
However, the victim’s mother rejected these claims, saying police were trying to label her son as a drug dealer after shooting him. She said police initially told the family that he was shot in the leg, but later it was revealed that he had been shot in the chest. She questioned the police version of events.
A similar incident was reported where a man climbed a pole at Galle Face, alleging that he had been assaulted by six police officers attached to the Kelaniya Police Station near the Kelaniya temple.
When the Sunday Times asked the minister about the alleged support of police and other forces to criminals, the Minister said, “The police force was weakened over a long period by being used to protect political henchmen and the underworld under previous governments. There are individuals within the police, army, and other institutions who are linked to criminal organisations. However, the Sri Lanka Police are now working to clean up the force by investigating and taking action against such officers,” he emphasised.
He also pointed to the high number of successful raids carried out by the Sri Lanka Police and the heavy pressure they face, adding that laws alone cannot solve the problem and that the support of the entire society is needed, especially through the sharing of information, he said.
As reported by the Sunday Times, most drug-related and organised crime cases are usually dismissed, and those involved are released due to a lack of evidence. When the Sunday Times inquired about this issue, Minister Wijepala agreed, stating that many criminals currently escape justice because witnesses are afraid to come forward or because there is insufficient evidence.
He also noted that existing laws are inadequate, as criminals often use their wealth and influence to secure release from court or flee the country. According to Mr. Wijepala, these legal loopholes allow offenders to evade justice through money and influence.
He said the solution to the current security challenges is the introduction of a new law focused on organised crime. He said a draft of this is expected to be reviewed next week before being presented to the Cabinet and Parliament within two weeks.
The proposed law aims to close existing loopholes and strengthen action against criminal groups, particularly in cases where witnesses fear coming forward or where evidence is limited.
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