A 42-year-old suspect in a murder who was shot during a crossfire with Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel in the Meetiyagoda area has succumed to his injuries after admission to hospital, police said.
A team of STF personnel had arrived at the location based on information received that a suspected underworld figure was in hiding at a residence in the area.
At that moment, the suspect in question had opened fire at the STF personnel with a pistol prompting them to return fire, according to police.
The suspect was injured during this shootout while he had succumbed to injuries after being admitted to the Balapitiya Hospital.
Police said that the deceased is a suspect in the recent murder of a former Inspector of Police (IP) in the Karagoda area in Galle, by two gunmen on a motorcycle.
