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SAITM CEO shooting stage-managed

Initial investigations into the shooting incident in which SAITM Chief Executive Officer Dr. Sameera Senaratne escaped unhurt, reveal that it appears to have been staged, the Police said yesterday.

Police said the shooting appears to have been stage-managed to portray that the SAITM CEO’s life was in danger.

Police are also on the lookout for a former Pradeshiya Sabha member and a driver attached to a local government institution in relation to the shooting. The Pradeshiya Sabha member is said to have had close connections with Dr. Senaratne. The duo, according to the Police, has fled the areas of their residence and the officers are trying to locate their whereabouts.

The Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) which investigated the case, arrested a suspect in Embilipitiya and seized a 9 mm browning pistol and two bullets, 3.8 revolver and three bullets and a motorcycle believed to have been used in the incident. After questioning, the suspect had been produced before the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court last Monday and was remanded till March 13.Police have also questioned an ex-soldier who is currently in remand custody over another incident, in connection with the SAITM CEO shooting. Dr. Sameera Senaratne had been questioned for several hours by a Police team about the incident last Monday and later a statement had been recorded. The investigations into the incident are continuing and they are being handled by the CCD and the Special Crimes Investigation Division of the Police in Nugegoda.

South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Samaraweera Senaratne was shot at by two gunmen on February 06.

The Police at the time said the two gunmen were wearing full-faced helmets. The SAITM CEO had managed to escape the shooting, unharmed. The incident had occurred while the CEO was leaving the SAITM premises in his car. Later Dr. Senaratne held a press conference over the incident and pointed the finger at some factions which have been behind the anti-SAITM campaign for some time.