It is reported that the shooter who carried out the attack of PNB IP Neomal Rangajeewa in Piliyandala on May 9, 2017 has made a narrow escape from being arrested in India. According to sources the gunman identified as Asitha had been accompanying Mohamed Nawaz, another suspect wanted in connection to the shooting when Nawaz was arrested by the Indian Police on January 22. However, the Police had not been able to identify Asitha as a wanted suspect as no red notice had been issued by the INTERPOL for his arrest allowing him to get away.
The attack on the PNB officers had been carried out by the group on the advice of underworld figure Makandure Madhush. They had fled to Indian when Sri Lankan law enforcement had uncovered their connection to the incident.
Nawaz, an accomplice of Kanjipani Imran had been arrested while transporting a stock of drugs. He is currently detained at the Madurai Narcotic Bureau.
On May 9, a team of PNB officers led by IP Rangajeewa was shot at by two armed assailants on a motorcycle in the Piliyandala area, killing the driver, PC Chaminda Abeywickrama while critically injuring IP Rangajeewa, another Police officer and four other bystanders, including three children.
One of the children, 11-year-old Samadhi Pathirana, a student of Rathnavali Balika Vidyalaya, Borella succumbed to her injuries.
