A police constable attached to the Walana anti-vice unit has died after shooting himself with his service weapon, police said on Wednesday.
The constable, a 28-year-old resident of Murutalawa in Peradeniya, sustained serious gunshot injuries near the main gate of the police station in the early hours of the morning. Police said the incident was reported at about 5.30 a.m. He was taken to the Panadura Base Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on admission.
Ada Derana reported that the officer was attached to the Walana Central Anti-Vice Striking Force and that the weapon involved was his issued T-56 rifle. Hiru News described the unit as the Walana anti-corruption strike force. Police have not released the officer’s name.
An investigation into the circumstances of the death is under way. No further details had been made public by mid-morning, and police have not indicated whether any prior concerns about the officer’s wellbeing had been recorded.
Deaths involving police officers and their issued firearms have drawn periodic scrutiny in Sri Lanka, where constables on duty are routinely armed with automatic rifles. The Sri Lanka Police has not commented on whether the case will prompt any review of weapons-handling or welfare procedures within the service.
If you or someone you know is in distress, contact the National Mental Health Helpline on 1926 or Sumithrayo on +94 11 2682535.
