Two injured as armed masked men open fire

July 17, 2010, 7:51 pm

By Neminda Samarajeewa

A jewellery shop owner and his daughter were injured when armed masked men broke into his Weliweriya house and opened fire last week, police said.

The intruders had broken the main gate of the house around 2.30 am last Thursday and ordered the owner to open the door, but after he refused they had opened fire injuring him. They had then entered the house and ordered the victim’s daughter to come out but she had locked herself inside a room, police said.

As she refused to open the door, one of the gang members had fired through the key hole hitting her on the chest. They had also fired at the ceiling of the house but as they could not find any cash of jewellery in the ensuing confusion, they had fled, according to police.

The victims, E. K. Gunaratne (60) and his daughter Mrs. Nayomi Chitrani Perera (38), a mother of two children were admitted to the Ragama Hospital. The father’s condition was stable but the other victim underwent two surgical operations as her condition was critical.

Police are investigating but no arrests have been made so far.