methsala

A longstanding rivalry between two government members, Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and Duminda Silva, turned ugly on election day yesterday resulting in Premachandra being killed and Silva suffering serious head injuries.
Director of the Sri Jayawardenapura General Hospital Dr. Shavendra Gamage told The Sunday Leader last night that even after over four hours of surgery last evening a bullet still remained in Silva’s head and he was receiving treatment at the intensive care unit of the hospital.
The clash erupted when Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and Duminda Silva met each other face to face in Hindutana lane in Mulleriyawa just as voting in the local government election was about to end last evening.
A heated argument had ensued between the two and a bodyguard of MP Silva opened fire towards bodyguards of Presidential Advisor Premachandra. Gunshots were then traded between both sides and this resulted in Premachandra and two others being killed and Silva suffering serious injuries, police sources told The Sunday Leader.

A large number of Duminda Silva’s supporters thronged to the Sri Jayewardenapura Hospital and some were even manning the security points in the hospital that led to the intensive care unit.
The youth stood side by side with the hospital security staff to check the passes given to the visitors to the hospital. Several VIPs also made their way to the hospital to inquire into Silva’s condition.
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa was one of the first VIPs to arrive at the hospital and stayed at the hospital for over one hour. Director General of the Media Center for National Security (MCNS) Lakshman Hulugalle and several other state officials also arrived at the hospital.
Meanwhile, STF personnel were deployed to provide security to the hospital. Police and Special Task Force officers had been deployed in Mulleriyawa and a dusk to dawn curfew was also imposed till 6 a.m. this morning.
The rivalry between Duminda Silva and Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra goes as way back as when Silva was in the UNP, intelligence sources told The Sunday Leader. After he joined the government he was given the UPFA Kollonawa chief organizer post which was earlier held by Premachandra. Duminda was later given the chance to contest for a seat in parliament under the UPFA ticket.
Things got out of hand when Silva recently assaulted the former chairman of the Mulleriyawa-Kottikawatte Pradeshiya Sabha, Prasanna Solangarachi, a supporter of Premachandra, intelligence sources said. Solangarachi was a candidate for yesterday’s election and Premachandra ran into Silva in Mulleriyawa while the former was on the road in support of Solangarachi.
Police Spokesman, Maxi Proctor, said that investigations into yesterday’s shooting had been handed over to the CID.