Within the past 12 hours, four separate shooting incidents have been reported from different parts of the island, leaving one person dead and another injured, police confirmed.

Accordingly, the total number of shootings reported so far this year has risen to 96, which have resulted in 50 fatalities and injuries to 53 other persons.

The first of the four shooting incidents occurred in Grandpass at around 11:45 p.m. yesterday (05), resulting in the death of a 26-year-old youth, Heshan Salinda Pushpakumara. Police said the victim had been called to the location where he was shot. Investigations have revealed that he had no previous criminal record.

Shortly after, at around 1:40 a.m., another shooting was reported in the Panchikawatte area of Maradana. Two unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle carried out the attack, critically injuring 44-year-old Sendhil Mohan, a resident of Panchikawatte. He is currently receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Accident and Emergency Department of the Colombo National Hospital.

Police investigations revealed that the victim is a close associate of an organized criminal known as ‘Panchikawatte Neville’. Authorities suspect that the shooting was carried out by associates of another underworld figure known by the alias ‘Keselwatte Kavi’.

Meanwhile, at around 1:30 a.m., another shooting took place in the Kuttiduwa area of Negombo. Two individuals on a motorcycle fired a single shot from a 9mm firearm at a residence before fleeing the scene. No one was injured in the incident, which police believe stemmed from a personal dispute.

The fourth shooting occurred at around 9:45 a.m. today (06) in the Sandagalawatta area of Alubomulla, Panadura. The target was a woman who owns a shop in the area. Although shots were fired, she escaped unharmed. The motive behind this shooting is yet to be ascertained.