Underworld hit jobs account for many homicides this year

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Three hundred and eighty three Lankans had been killed up to 18 August this year in 373 violent attacks, Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa said yesterday.The comparative figures for 2021 and 2022 were 525 to 550 brutal killings, he said.

“People often focus on incidents related to the underworld, but incidents that occurred as a result of family disputes, land disputes, sudden bouts of anger and other disputes that goes viral on social media also lead to violent and sometimes deadly confrontations,” he said.

Sixty two incidents of shooting had occurred this year, by 18 August, SSP Thalduwa added. Thirty seven persons were killed in those shootings, and 29 were injured compared to 59 people killed in 2022 by gunmen .

“In recent years, criminals have moved to other countries and are handling their criminal operations from there. SSP Thalduwa said 90 percent of targeted hits are ordered by these people. They also order hits on members of rival criminal groups. If you look at some killings in the South, some of them were caused by disputes that go back generations,” he said.

SSP Thalduwa said that Sri Lanka is looking at ways in which these criminals can be arrested and prosecuted. The country is also looking at a regional approach to tackle such challenges, he said.