Underworld member ‘S.F. Lokka’ shot dead

Suspected organised criminal Eron Ranasinghe, alias ‘S.F. Lokka’, was shot dead by an unidentified gunman near a railway crossing in Anuradhapura yesterday.

According to the Police, Ranasinghe was shot with a Type-56 rifle and was pronounced dead on admission to hospital. The vehicle the deceased was travelling in caught fire after the shooting, prompting the fire brigade to respond in order to put out the blaze. 

Anuradhapura Police are investigating the murder, Police spokesmen SSP Jaliya Senaratne said. 

Ranasinghe is the main accused in the murder of martial arts instructor and nightclub owner Wasantha de Zoysa in 2015. Ranasinghe is believed to have deserted his post in the Army in 2015 and has been wanted for several crimes and gang-related activity.