Gampaha Snatch & Grab: Cops shoot dead criminal

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The suspect who stabbed a man during a snatch and grab incident in Pahalagama, Gampaha on the 20th of September, was killed in police fire on Thursday (29) night.

The wife of the suspect was arrested by Sri Lanka Police.

Police Officers had visited the Maduruwita area in Gampaha to arrest the suspects, and during the arrest, he had attempted to stab a police officer.

Police officers had opened fire on the suspect, and he was rushed to the Gampaha Hospital where he died upon admission.

The deceased was identified as Janaka Lasantha, a resident from Kosowita, Ganemulla.

Investigations revealed that the deceased was a drug peddler, and was involved in snatch and grabs with his wife.

The mugging incident that went wrong: 

Rasika Vinod, a 29-year-old mid-level employee at a State Bank in Sri Lanka was brutally killed while he tried to prevent a mugging attempt recently.

On Tuesday (20) night, Vinod tragically died when he attempted to foil a snatching attempt at his doorstep, in Pahalagama in the Gampaha District.

According to reports, this is how the tragedy had taken place: His wife and her friend were returning home from work on Tuesday (20) night.

When his wife was close to their home, a couple in a motorbike approached them and attempted to snatch a handbag.

According to Sri Lanka Police, Rasika was waiting at the doorstep for his wife to return home, along with his father.

The duo immediately attacked the motorcycle thieves, and also toppled the two-wheeler onto the ground.

During the tussle, the motorcycle rider attacked Rasika with a sharp weapon.

The victim of the mugging attempt detailed her ordeal to News 1st's Naveksha Gunasekera who visited the scene of the crime on Wednesday (21).

"A motorcycle crossed my path and one person attempted to snatch my bag. I did not let go of my bag and they dragged me away with the bag. I have severe bruises all over my body. Then the strap snapped and the bag was back in my hands. My colleague's father was on the street. She screamed and her father attacked the motorcycle. When we reached the site a massive brawl was taking place. We also saw several other handbags with food inside.We experience power cuts when we are returning home from work. They target the time to commit the crimes," she told News 1st.

Interestingly, the pillion rider was a woman.

"I heard two women scream. There was no electricity and when I reached the scene I saw one man stabbing away another man. We immediately stopped a car and rushed them to the hospital," said an eye-witness.

The injured men were rushed to the Gampaha General Hospital, and the 29-year-old man succumbed upon admission.

The other man continues to receive treatment in the hospital.

The Magistrate's Inquiry into the incident took place on Wednesday (21) afternoon by Gampaha Chief Magistrate Manjula Karunaratne.