Court has granted leave to detain the medical doctor who attempted to rob Rs. 7.9 million from the General Hospital, says Ada Derana correspondent.

Accordingly, the suspect will be detained for 48 hours and placed under interrogation as the police continue to probe the incident further.

Cash worth over Rs 7.9 million was robbed at gunpoint from the cashier of the Colombo National Hospital on Tuesday afternoon (09). Reports said the money was brought in for the payment of overtime salaries of hospital employees.

The perpetrator who fled the scene in a three-wheeler was later apprehended in the area of Punchi Borella and the total amount of cash that was robbed from the hospital was recovered.

Two rookie police constables attached to the State Intelligence Service, who were on duty at the hospital, had pursued the robber in another three-wheeler. Further, OIC of the Children and Women’s Bureau of Matara Division, Chief Inspector Varuni Bogahawatta, who had been at the hospital on an official matter, too, had pursued the perpetrator and assisted the Constables to make the arrest.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is a 33-year-old doctor from Horana, who is temporarily residing at Cotta Road.

He had been transferred to the Colombo National Hospital from another hospital for a postgraduate specialist trainee program, said the Spokesman. The arrested doctor has no prior records of criminal offenses.