The wanted criminal and alleged cop killer Jayalath Kandambige Chaminda was shot dead in a shootout with the police yesterday morning.
Two police officers were injured in the shootout that took place in Meegahajura, Hambantota, police said.
They were admitted to Hambantota District Hospital, police said.
Police seized a 9mm Browning type pistol, a foreign made live hand grenade and six pistol bullets from the suspect after the shooting.
The suspect, J.K. Chaminda was an army deserter. He was attached to Army Special Forces. Chaminda had operated under several aliases - Matara Roshan and Bicycle Baby.
The suspect allegedly shot dead a senior inspector attached to the Maspotha Kurunegala Police Station on November 15, 2016. The victim was Senior Inspector (SI) Dissanayake, who was killed at a Kurunegala Police precinct, police said.
Pitabaddara Police had arrested the suspect on February 9, 2008 along with a revolver and a foreign made live hand grenade. Walasmulla Police had arrested him in connection with an armed robbery.
He was wanted by police in connection with a number of robberies, homicides and various other criminal acts, which he was believed to have committed with Dewamuni Rohana Harold De Silva alias Gona Kovile Roha, another deserter of the Army Special Forces, who was arrested by the police, said Police Media Unit.
The suspect, Dewamuni, was arrested in connection with the murder of Senior Inspector Dissanayake of Maspotha Kurunegala Police Station while Chaminda had got away after the crime, police said.
Police were able to establish where Chaminda was hiding as a result of a three-month long investigation carried out by police upon the instructions of Inspector General of Police (IGP), Pujitha Jayasundara, police said.
IGP Jayasundara had appointed a team from Anti Vice Squad of Walana Police and a Special Police team from Colombo to work on the case. They were searching the suspect using every clue they have found.
On receipt of information that the suspect was hiding in Meegahajura area, the police teams surrounded the deserted forest area where he was hiding. The suspect opened fire at the police officers.
Police fired shots in retaliation and Chaminda got wounded in the shootout. He had injured two police officers in the encounter. The suspect was taken to Hambantota District Hospital where he was declared dead before admission.
The field operation was conducted on a special order of the IGP. It was carried out by officers of the Anti Vice Squad of Walana Police and the Police Special Task Force under the supervision of Western Province DIG Nandana Munasingha, DIG Ranmal Kodituwakku and Walana Police Anti- Vice Squad ASP Hemal Prashantha.