Businessman shot by man whose family was crippled in drunk driving incident

By Rathindra Kuruwita

A businessman was shot and wounded on Thursday (08) night near the Thattewa Cemetery, Anamaduwa, by a man whose family was crippled by the former, last year, in a drunk driving incident.

The 44-year old businessman, named Mallawa Kumara, was travelling on a motorcycle. The victim told police that two men stopped him near the Cemetery and one of them had shot him.

Kumara told the police that a man named Jayaratne shot him. According to police, a car Kumara drove, in September 2023, collided with the bike Jayaratne, his wife and daughter were travelling on. Kumara was drunk at the time.

Jayaratne’s wife is now disabled, and the daughter has undergone a series of surgeries, police said.Jayaratne has shot Kumara in revenge, police added.

Jayaratne, too, was seriously wounded in the drunk driving mishap and is still recovering from his wounds.The suspect has used a 12-bore locally made handgun. He has since fled the area.

Police said that the left arm of the businessman was severely wounded.He is currently being treated at the Puttalam Base Hospital. (RK)