One person has been injured after being shot by gunmen on a motorcycle in the Meetiyagoda area in Hikkaduwa today. 

According to the Police, the gunmen had opened fire at five persons in a van in the Malawenna area in Meetiyagoda. 

It is reported that the rider of the motorcycle has been arrested with a T-56 firearm. (Newswire)

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A 33-year-old Russian tourist has died after drowning in the seas off the Thiranagama area in Hikkaduwa yesterday.

The Police said the victim had been sea bathing with his friends, but at the time of the incident, he had been alone as the rest had returned to their hotel for breakfast.

The body of the Russian man has been placed at the Karapitiya Hospital, while the Hikkaduwa Police is conducting investigations. (Newswire)

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Five foreign tourists were rescued, and one was reported dead in separate drowning incidents in Hikkaduwa reported in the last 24 hours ending at 06.00 am today. 

Four foreign tourists have been rescued from drowning in the seas off Hikkaduwa last morning.

The Police said the four tourists had been rescued by Police Lifeguard Officials who had been on duty at the time.

The rescued foreign tourists are a group of Russians aged between 33 and 48 years old. 

Meanwhile, an Indian man died after drowning in the seas off the Dhodanduwa area in Hikkaduwa last evening.

The Police said the man and his daughter had been swept away while sea bathing, during which area residents had rescued them.

Upon being admitted to the Karapitiya Hospital, the 57-year-old Indian man had died. (Newswire)

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Two foreign nationals who were swept away while bathing in the Hikkaduwa Sea last morning have been rescued. 

The Police said officials from the Hikkaduwa Police Lifeguard Unit had rescued the foreigners.

The rescued individuals were an American and a Swiss national, aged 20 and 30 years. (Newswire)

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A 22-year-old man has been arrested in connection to the attempted shooting incident near a hotel in Hikkaduwa on 14 August this year. 

The Police said the suspect was arrested with 06.44 grams of Crystal methamphetamine (‘ice’) in the Nalagasdeniya area in Hikkaduwa yesterday.

The suspect is among two gunmen who had arrived on a motorcycle and attempted to open fire at an individual in front of a hotel in Hikkaduwa using a T-56 firearm. 

Officials from the Galle Crimes Division had arrested the suspect based on a tip-off and handed him over to the Hikkaduwa Police for further investigations. (Newswire)

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A failed shootout targeting a three-wheeler driver was reported from the Hikkaduwa area last evening. 

According to the Police, two unidentified men on a motorcycle carrying a T-56 firearm are reported to have attempted to shoot at the three-wheeler driver.

However, as the gun had failed to discharge the three-wheeler driver had escaped and hidden after a scuffle with the attackers, following which the gunmen had also fled the area.

A t-56 firearm bullet had been found at the scene, while the Hikkaduwa Police is conducting investigations into the incident. (Newswire)

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A 57-year-old foreign tourist was reported dead after drowning off the coast of Hikkaduwa on Friday (Apr 05).

The Police said the victim, a Lithuanian national, had drowned while sea bathing last evening.

Upon being rescued by lifeguards at the beach, the man had died after being admitted to the Balapitiya Hospital. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Police have sought the assistance of the public to apprehend a suspect wanted for having robbed a female foreign tourist in Hikkaduwa.

According to the Police, the suspect had entered the house in which the tourist was residing in the Wawulagoda area on January 21, 2024.

The suspect had stolen several items, including cash worth Rs. 760,000 and two ATM cards.

The Police said the suspect had been identified after monitoring CCTV footage as part of the investigations into the robbery. 

The Public with information on the suspect has been requested to contact the Police via the hotlines 071 – 8591457 and 091 – 2277222. (NewsWire)

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A 28-year-old man was arrested for abducting and holding hostage a doctor in the Hikkaduwa area yesterday.

The Police said that based on a tip-off, the doctor was found at a house in the Thelwatta area in Meetiyagoda.

The suspect, a resident of the Thelwatte area, was also apprehended by the Police. 

The doctor has been handed over to the Hikkaduwa Police for safety reasons. 

Investigations have revealed that the abduction had taken place due to a financial dispute. 

The Hikkaduwa and Meetiyagoda Police are conducting investigations into the incident. (NewsWire)

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A 27-year-old resident of Colombo has died due to reckless driving in the Hikkaduwa area on the Galle- Colombo Road on Sunday.

The Police said the youth along with two other friends had travelled to Hikkaduwa on motorcycles and the victim had recklessly ridden his motorcycle in the direction of Colombo to Galle. 

Due to being unable to control the motorcycle due to high speed, the youth crashed into a parked motorcycle and a wall at Wewala Junction in Hikkaduwa.

The victim, who is a resident of Colombo 10, had been admitted to the Karapitiya Hospital with serious injuries, after which he passed away.

The Police said the accident had been caused due to the reckless driving of the victim. The Hikkaduwa Police is conducting investigations into the accident. (NewsWire)

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A 57-year-old foreign tourist is reported to have died while diving in the Wewelgoda Sea area in Hikkaduwa yesterday.

The Police said the man along with three other foreign tourists had gone diving in the area last afternoon.

However, due to suffering from complications while diving, he had been brought to shore and had died after being admitted to the Aarachchikanda Hospital. 

The deceased has been identified as a 57-year-old Polish national. 

The Hikkaduwa Police is conducting investigations into the incident. (NewsWire)

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe has announced plans to make Sri Lanka a year-round tourist destination, with measures to be taken to promote the tourism sector. 

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), the President made these comments during a meeting with businessmen from the tourism industry in the Galle District yesterday (23).

The PMD stated that the meeting was organized under the theme “Survival and Overcoming Challenges in the Tourism Industry.”

During the meeting, President Wickremesinghe acknowledged the challenges faced by those in the tourism sector due to the recent economic downturn but reassured the attendees that a planned program is being implemented to revitalize the sector.

The President outlined a program to attract over two million tourists to Sri Lanka, including those willing to spend $500 per day. To achieve this goal, a committee has been appointed to implement the plan as soon as possible.

In addition, President Wickremesinghe stressed the importance of better publicity for Sri Lanka to the world. He highlighted the recent Independence Day celebrations, which were held with pride to demonstrate that law and order have been stabilized in the country.

The President also noted that tourist numbers had dropped following the protests in May and June of last year. To attract tourists back to Sri Lanka, he emphasized the need to demonstrate that law and order has been restored in the country.

Overall, the meeting was seen as a positive step towards promoting tourism in Sri Lanka. The President’s commitment to the industry and his plans to revitalize the sector were welcomed by the attendees, who hope that this will lead to increased investment and growth in the sector.

Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Promotion Manusha Nanayakkara, Minister of Tourism and Lands Harin Fernando, State Minister Mohan Priyadarshana de Silva, State Minister Geeta Kumarasinghe, Members of Parliament Vajira Abeywardena, Sampath Athukorala, Southern Province Governor Dr. Willie Gamage, Galle District Governor Shantha Weerasinghe and other officials attended this event. (NewsWire)

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