Police believe killers of Club Wasantha fled overseas within 24 hours of daring attack

By Hemantha Randunu

Police investigators suspect that the two hitmen who assassinated Surendra Wasantha Perera, alias Club Wasantha, on 08 July, at the opening of a tattoo parlour in Aturugiriya town, have fled the country.

Wasantha’s driver was also killed while four others were wounded in the daring attack close to the Aturugiriya police station.

Several senior police officers say the two men must have left the country in a trawler from the Southern coast of the country.

Police and the Special Task Force officers, during the last week, unsuccessfully raided several places that the two hitmen were suspected to be hiding.

“This was a high-profile attack. We suspect that the two hitmen left the country within 24-hours of the incident. However, we are still investigating,” a senior policeman said.

He added that, based on the way attacks were carried out, the hitmen were former security forces personnel.

Seven people have been arrested over the incident, while 10 police teams are conducting investigations.

Last week, Security forces established checkpoints in coastal areas after they received information that the assassins were attempting to flee the country in boat.