A smuggling gang, arrested by the police after a shooting, came and freed them.

A close associate of 'Karandeniya Sudda', a powerful underworld gang leader who operates the drug network in this country while hiding in Dubai, has been forcibly released from police custody. This incident is reported from the Elpitiya area. The incident occurred on the evening of June 30th in the Kahaduwa Rakkadahena area, where the suspect, 'Dola Ihala Ranga' alias Chamil, was injured by police gunfire, and a group of 12 people arrived and forcibly took him away.

This raid was carried out based on a private tip-off received by a team of officers including Sub-Inspector Sadushan, the OIC of the Anti-Corruption Unit at Elpitiya Police Headquarters. Constables Prabath (89514), Gayashan (104352), and Lakruwan (106914) participated in this raid, and the police succeeded in finding 1205 milligrams of heroin in the suspect's possession at the time of his arrest.

When attempting to arrest the suspect, he tried to attack the Sub-Inspector with a knife he had in his possession. The officer fired a warning shot into the air to subdue the suspect and handcuffed one of his hands. However, as the officer attempted to handcuff the other hand, the suspect stabbed the Sub-Inspector's hand, causing injuries. When the suspect attempted another knife attack, the Sub-Inspector, using his service pistol, fired a shot targeting the suspect's right hand, where the knife was held.

At the moment the suspect was injured by the gunshot, a gang of twelve individuals, suspected to be his associates, stormed the location. They behaved in a highly unruly manner, severely obstructing the police officers' duties, and freed the injured drug trafficker from police custody before fleeing. Although the officers pursued them, the suspects escaped the clutches of the law, and the stock of heroin that fell from the suspect's possession was taken into police custody.

Sub-Inspector Sadushan, the OIC of the Anti-Corruption Unit at Elpitiya Police Headquarters, who was injured in this knife attack, is currently receiving inpatient treatment at Elpitiya Base Hospital. According to police investigations, the escaped suspect, 'Dola Ihala Ranga', was previously remanded on charges of aiding and abetting two murders and causing serious injuries to three others in the Pitigala police division on March 11, 2024, and was later released on bail.