Boys die and father injured after early-morning explosion; police link incident to organised crime rivalry and say wrong house may have been targeted.
Two children have been killed and their father injured in a hand-grenade attack on a residential house in Dehiwala, a suburb of Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo, police said on Friday.
The attack took place in the early hours of 11 September at a house on Sirisangabo Road in the Kawdana area. A grenade was thrown at the property, causing an explosion that killed two boys. Their father sustained injuries and was admitted to Kalubowila Teaching Hospital for treatment.
Children Killed in Suspected Gang-Linked Attack:
Police said the children died after being taken to hospital. Reports of their ages have varied slightly in initial accounts, with some citing 10 and 14, and others 11 and 17. The father, reported to be in his early to mid-50s, remains under medical care. Some accounts also indicated that other children in the household were injured.
Preliminary investigations have linked the attack to an ongoing clash between organised criminal groups. Police believe the incident is connected to a rivalry involving underworld figures associated with drug trafficking networks. Later police findings suggested the attackers may have targeted the wrong house, intending to strike a neighbouring residence reportedly linked to a drug distributor connected to a figure known as “Badowita Asanka.” The attack is being investigated as possible retaliation in a dispute involving rival factions.
Police Launch Probe After Explosive Attack:
Three police teams have been deployed to the scene and surrounding areas to identify those responsible and gather further evidence. No arrests had been announced in the immediate aftermath of the attack.
The incident has heightened concerns over the use of military-grade explosives in underworld violence in the Colombo suburbs. Sri Lankan authorities have faced repeated challenges in curbing organised crime groups that have been linked to drug trafficking and targeted attacks in recent years.