A 54-year-old businessman was fatally shot in broad daylight in Colombo's Maligawatte area on Wednesday. Police suspect the killing is connected to ongoing disputes between organized crime groups and drug trafficking networks.

A 54-year-old businessman from Kirulapone was killed in a shooting incident on Sangharaja Mawatha in Maligawatte on Wednesday afternoon. According to police accounts, the victim was standing near a building materials store when two assailants on a motorcycle opened fire using a revolver before fleeing the scene.

Preliminary police investigations indicate the victim had family connections to underworld figure Kanchipani Imran, prompting officers to suspect the incident stems from rivalries within organized crime and narcotics trafficking circles. The police have characterized the killing as likely resulting from ongoing conflicts between criminal gangs competing in these networks.

In response to the incident, law enforcement authorities have deployed two dedicated investigative teams to pursue leads and identify those responsible for the attack. Police are continuing their inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the possible motives behind it.