Police investigations have revealed that the shooting incident involving former MP Uddika Premarathna in Anuradhapura in September last year had been orchestrated by the former Parliamentarian.
The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) had launched a probe after it was informed that an unidentified group that had arrived in a car had opened fire at Premaratne’s private vehicle that had been parked near his residence.
The shooting had taken place after the former MP had parked the vehicle outside his home and was walking towards his private residence on September 17, 2023.
Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said that investigations have revealed that the former MP had orchestrated the shooting with the assistance of an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).
He further said that the ASP had left the country and is residing overseas, while he had left Sri Lanka without informing or obtaining the necessary permission from the Police authorities.
Stating that information has come to light of the ASP’s involvement in the shooting, DIG Thalduwa said, however, that the suspect is reported to have left the country along with his wife and children at a time when investigations had been launched into the matter.
The Police Spokesman further said that information had also come to light that the ASP had dispatched his official weapon via a third party to the Police Station he was attached to, after having reached the Katunayake Airport to depart for Malaysia on Thursday (June 12).
Following the alleged shooting incident, Uddika Premaratne stepped down from Parliament in February 2024. He had entered the Parliament as the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna’s (SLPP) Anuradhapura District representative. After having resigned from Parliament, former MP Uddika Premaratne is reported to have left Sri Lanka. (Newswire)