Drug suspect injured in police shooting while fleeing

An individual has been injured in police shooting while attempting to escape in a van during a drug raid in Pileekada area in Kurunegala.

One police officer had also sustained injuries in an attempt to prevent the suspects from escaping and is currently receiving medical treatments at Kurunegala Hospital.

Kurunegala police officers had launched a raid in Pileekada area at around 06 pm yesterday (11), following a tip-off received regarding a heroin racket.

Reportedly, four suspects had arrived from Kandy in a van to trade a stock of heroin.

The police officers had opened fire on the fleeing suspects as they had sped off without obeying the orders of the police.

The driver of the van has been hospitalized after being shot in the knee.

However, the other three suspects had continued to speed off and knocked over a police officer on a motorcycle.

The suspects later abandoned the van on the roadside in Pileekada area, and two of them had been arrested by the police while hiding in a wood in the area.

The injured police officer was admitted to the Kurunegala Hospital immediately.