Monk shot dead

Unidentified gunmen yesterday (23) shot dead a Buddhist monk at a temple at Malwathuhiripitiya, Gampaha.

Police said four assailants had been involved in the killing. Police identified the victim as Ven Kalupaluwa Dharmaratne Thera, 45. According to police the gang had arrived at the temple in a car and claimed that they wanted to have a horoscope read. Subsequently, they asked the monk to come out of the temple and shot him with a T 56 assault rifle and a pistol. . (NP)