Burnt car found in Galle linked to Akuregoda double murder

A car suspected to be the vehicle used by the gunmen who carried out the Akuregoda shooting was discovered burning in the Baddegama area of Galle.

According to police, information has been received that the murder of attorney Buddika Mallawa Arachchi and his wife, who were shot in the Akuregoda area under the Thalangama Police Division, was orchestrated by an organized criminal known as “Karandeniya Sudda”.

Police stated that ten investigation teams have been deployed to arrest the suspects connected to the incident. These include teams from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Police Special Task Force (STF), the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), and the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID).

Police further said that the murdered lawyer had appeared in court in cases related to the organized criminal known as Karandeniya Sudda.

The couple were killed in the shooting that occurred around 4:50 PM on February 13, 2026, at the car park of a supermarket in the Akuregoda area.

Police said two individuals from a group that arrived in a vehicle carried out the shooting and fled the scene.

The 44 year old lawyer and his 42 year old wife were residents of the Pore area in Athurugiriya.