Six arrested, two more wanted for killing Sri Lanka President's aide

Sri Lanka police is in the hunt for two underworld gangsters suspected of shooting Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, former parliamentarian and a presidential aide of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.



The two individuals, called by their aliases as Dematagoda Chaminda and Thappara Katta, are evading arrest, the police say.

The police have already arrested six suspects who were armed with illegal firearms and reportedly with government MP Duminda Silva.

The gun battle between two groups of supporters of the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) in Mulleriyawa on last Saturday (08) claimed the lives of four people including a former ruling party legislator, Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra.

The shooting injured five more people, one of whom succumbed to his injuries yesterday. Among the injured is the ruling party parliamentarian Duminda Silva receiving treatment on life support at the Sri Jayawardenapura Hospital.

The police have produced in court 17 firearms including automatic rifles seized from one of the suspect's custody. The firearms have been sent to the Government Analyst for further investigations, the police said.