Police sources have revealed that the recent murder of Public Health Inspector (PHI) Deepal Roshan Kumara in Elpitiya was a tragic case of mistaken identity. The gunman, apprehended in Mount Lavinia, allegedly shot the PHI in error, mistaking him for a police officer in the area.
Upon the suspect's arrest, two firearms were recovered, including an MM type pistol with a magazine and ten live bullets believed to have been used in the shooting. These weapons were found concealed in a residence in the Owita area, following disclosures by the 51-year-old suspect.
Additionally, a husband and wife accused of sheltering the gunman post-crime have also been detained.
Further investigations uncovered that the suspect, initially apprehended for heroin possession, later confessed to being an underworld shooter hired for the crime. Allegedly, he was contracted by a Dubai-based underworld leader named Saman Kolla, who mistook the PHI for a retired police inspector residing in the same locality.
It was revealed that the intended target was actually an active-duty sub-inspector, not a retired officer, due to his involvement in the seizure of heroin linked to Saman Kolla.
