The Matara Magistrate’s Court has ordered that the four suspects arrested in connection with the Devinuwara shooting incident be detained for questioning until March 29, Ada Derana reporter said.

Four people, including a woman, have been arrested on suspicion of the double murder. 

Accordingly, the permission for their detention has been granted when they were produced before the Acting Magistrate of Matara.

On March 21, two individuals were killed in a shooting incident on Sinhasana Road, in front of the southern entrance of the Devinuwara Sri Vishnu Devalaya, at around 11.45 p.m., according to the police.

Furthermore, police have uncovered more details regarding the double murder, with investigations pointing to notorious criminal Shehan Sathsara, infamously known as “Bale Malli,” as the prime suspect behind the crime.

According to the police, the shootings were allegedly carried out due to a dispute between the two victims, identified as Pasindu Tharaka (29) and Yomesh Nadeeshan, and ‘Bale Malli.’ The suspect is reported to be currently hiding in Dubai.

The victims, both residents of the area, were returning home from a birthday party in Kapugampura when they were ambushed by a group of attackers traveling in a van. The assailants rammed the motorcycle on which Tharaka and Nadeeshan were riding before opening fire with a T-56 rifle and a pistol.

The attackers immediately fled the scene after the shooting, leaving the victims dead on the spot.

Police later recovered 39 T-56 bullet casings and two 9mm bullet casings from the site of the crime. The van used by the shooters was later discovered 800 meters away from the scene, abandoned and set on fire.