The mother of a 16-year-old boy injured when police opened fire on a three-wheeler in Kadawatha has demanded justice, while Police Spokesman ASP F.U. Wootler has rejected claims attributed to her regarding alleged drug trafficking accusations.
The shooting occurred on Saturday (31) near Mahakade Junction in Kadawatha, when police officers on duty signalled a three-wheeler carrying two teenagers to stop.
According to police, the 17-year-old driver ignored the signal and drove towards the officers before fleeing the scene, prompting police to open fire.
Police reportedly fired around seven shots at the vehicle, injuring the 16-year-old passenger travelling in the rear seat.
The injured teenager was subsequently admitted to Ragama Teaching Hospital for treatment.
- Mother questions police shooting
Speaking to the media, the injured boy’s mother said the two teenagers had been returning home after getting a haircut when the shooting occurred.
She acknowledged that the 17-year-old driver did not possess a valid driving licence and had failed to stop when instructed by police.
However, she questioned the decision to open fire at the three-wheeler.
The mother claimed that two bullets had struck her son’s body, while another had passed close to his head.
She said her son had undergone surgery and that bullet fragments remained inside his body.
The mother also disputed reports that the three-wheeler had been abandoned following the shooting.
According to her, both teenagers returned to her home, approximately 800 metres from the shooting location, before the vehicle was taken to a nearby house.
She said her injured son had come directly to her after the shooting.
The mother called for a fair investigation and justice for her son.
- Police reject mother’s allegations
Addressing a media briefing on Sunday (1), Police Spokesman ASP F.U. Wootler rejected a statement attributed to the mother suggesting that police had accused the teenagers of transporting drugs.
He described the claim that police had made such an allegation as completely false.
Wootler also stressed that motorists are legally required to comply with instructions issued by uniformed police officers.
He urged the public to cooperate with police checkpoints and security operations, saying such measures were carried out to protect public safety.
The Police Spokesman further stated that allowing a minor or an individual without a valid driving licence to operate a vehicle constituted an offence under the Motor Traffic Act.
He said legal action would also be taken against the person who had permitted the 17-year-old to drive the three-wheeler.
- Questions over use of firearms
The incident has raised questions over the police decision to open fire at a vehicle carrying two teenagers, particularly when the suspected offence involved failing to stop at a police checkpoint.
In an earlier social media statement, Sri Lanka Police urged the public to obey the law and cooperate with security operations aimed at combating crime and drug trafficking.
However, the statement did not explain what immediate threat justified the use of firearms against the three-wheeler.
The Police Spokesman’s latest remarks focused on the legal obligation to stop at checkpoints and the offence of driving without a licence, without providing a detailed explanation of the circumstances that made the shooting necessary.
The 17-year-old driver, a resident of Thalgasmote in Veyangoda, subsequently surrendered to Kadawatha Police and was arrested.
The three-wheeler was recovered from a house in the Gonahena area.
Further investigations into the incident are being conducted by the Gampaha Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau. (Newswire)
