A 17-year-old youth has died after police opened fire on a van that fled despite repeated police orders to stop in the Kayts police division.
The incident occurred early this morning (10) near the Allapiddy junction. Police had signaled a suspicious van to stop, but the vehicle ignored the order and continued driving towards Mandativu.
At the time, the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of Kayts Police was traveling in a jeep towards Allapiddy and was informed of the situation. Police officers then attempted to stop the van, but as it continued to flee, warning shots were fired into the air.
When the vehicle failed to stop, police opened fire in an attempt to halt it. During the incident, the driver of the van was shot and sustained serious injuries. He was admitted to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The deceased has been identified as a 17-year-old resident of Wadukotte.
Police investigations revealed that the rear seats of the van had been removed. Two other individuals who were inside the vehicle at the time have been arrested by the Kayts Police.
Further investigations into the incident are being carried out by the Kayts Police in coordination with the Jaffna Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau.
