Drug suspect who attempted to attack police with a machete in Welikanda shot dead.

A person who obstructed police officers' duties and attempted to assault them with a sharp weapon in the Welikanda area of Polonnaruwa has died after being shot by the police.

The shooting occurred around 6:00 PM on January 12th in the Galkanda area of Welikanda, and the confrontational situation arose when police pursued a motorcycle that failed to stop at a police roadblock.

Although police officers signaled the motorcycle to stop, the suspects continued to drive without stopping. Subsequently, officers from the Polonnaruwa Traffic Division pursued them on suspicion that the suspects were transporting cannabis or other drugs.

Police investigations have revealed that two of the three individuals on the motorcycle fled, while the main suspect ran into his house, retrieved a sharp weapon resembling a sword, and attempted to assault a police officer who was kneeling.

At that moment, an officer fired four shots from his service firearm in self-defense, seriously injuring the suspect in the leg and chest area.

After the shooting, residents and the police jointly took steps to admit the injured person to Welikanda Hospital, but hospital sources confirm that he was already deceased upon admission.

The deceased has been identified as Gardi Ambrose Kankanamge Thilakasiri, a 28-year-old resident of Sinhapura, Kandakadu.

Police state that the deceased was heavily addicted to drugs such as heroin and ice, had previously been convicted in seven drug-related cases, and had two other criminal cases pending.

Further investigations into the incident are being conducted by a team including the Welikanda Police Station OIC, under the guidance and supervision of Polonnaruwa Senior Superintendent of Police Mr. Buddhika Manathunga, and operations are underway to locate the other two suspects who fled.