The driver of a businessman’s car was shot dead by gunmen who made their escape with Rs 1.6 million at the entrance to a private bank in Rawathawatte yesterday.

Samson Fernando, a petrol shed owner had gone to the bank to deposit his money when two gunmen attacked him killing the driver, Govinda Saman Kuruppu (41).

Samson Fernando told police that the two armed men with their faces covered had arrived on a motor bike and attempted to grab the bag of money from him as he was getting out of his vehicle.

While the petrol shed owner was struggling to guard his bag from the robbers the driver too had gone to his employer’s assistance, eye witnesses told police.

One of the robbers had fired at the driver and they had snatched the bag from the businessman and escaped on their motor bike. The businessman had taken his driver to hospital but he was found dead on admission.

The entire scene of the robbery had been recorded by a TV camera fixed at the entrance to the bank and police hope that they would be able to trace the killers soon with the help of the video tapes. The robbers had used T-56 automatic rifles for the killing, police said.