Alleged drug kingpin shot dead in Sri Lanka courthouse

COLOMBO – A Sri Lankan man accused of being a top drug dealer was shot dead inside a courthouse on Feb 19 by a gunman disguised as a lawyer, police said.

Ganemulle Sanjeeva was shot at close range as he entered the dock in a bail hearing at the Colombo Magistrates Court, police said in a statement.

Sanjeeva was taken to court under heavy armed escort by commandos from the elite Special Task Force, who handed him over to prison guards at the entrance.

The gunman escaped as the critically wounded Sanjeeva was bundled into a security vehicle and rushed to hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

“We have recovered a revolver used in the shooting and the gunman has been identified,” Deputy Public Security Minister Sunil Watagala told reporters outside the court.

“A search is under way.”

Nine people have been killed in a spate of shootings in the island nation in 2025 blamed on gang rivalry, according to police data. AFP

Join STs Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.