(COLOMBO) – At least 22 persons have been killed and 14 others injured in 30 shooting incidents in Sri Lanka since the start of this year and ending on Tuesday, a senior policeman said.
Police Media Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said that 17 out of the 30 shooting incidents had been carried out by organized criminal gangs while the remaining had stemmed from personal disputes.
The most recent shooting incidents were reported from the country’s southern town of Ambalangoda and Elpitiya on Monday night.
At least four persons were killed and six others including a woman were injured in separate incidents.
The assailants had carried out the attacks with assault rifles and made their getaway on motorcycles.
Police could not say if the two incidents were connected only to add that further investigations were underway.
It was only in late February that a senior Public Health Inspector (PHI) was gunned down in cold blood inside his home also situated in the same southern town of Elpitiya.
The victim known for his integrity was believed to have been murdered owing to the nature of his work.
Police are however yet to make any arrests or breakthrough in this case.
