A suspected underworld gang member was shot at, at Oruwala, Athurugiriya yesterday.
Officers of the Police Organized Crimes Division had gone to arrest a gang member last morning and he had opened fire at the officers. Thereafter, police had shot at him.
The incident occurred near the Steel Corporation grounds around 11.55 am yesterday. Police had gone there on a tip-off.
He was admitted to the Oruwala Hospital with critical injuries and was later transferred to the Colombo National Hospital.
He has been identified as Ranasinghe Arachchige Asitha alias Banda, an accomplice of Makadure Madush and Angoda Lokka, the two underworld kingpins in hiding in a foreign country.
The injured is a resident of Bandaragama and is said to be the one who drove the car in the Matara jewellery store robbery where a police officer was shot dead.The police Spokesman said the police are conducting island wide operations every two weeks to prevent crimes and road accidents on the orders of the IGP.
Twelve special operations were carried out throughout the country under the directions of the IGP so far this year and 10,975 suspects were arrested. Over 5,504 drunken drivers and 8,514 evading arrest were arrested. About 32,696 suspects were arrested and 58,123 traffic cases were filed in the twelve operations,” he said.