By Norman Palihawadana

The police yesterday declared a local curfew in the Karandeniya police area after villagers set fire to a channelling centre owned by a suspect held over the recent killing of Dr. Priyanka Prasad Jayasinghe (40).

Police moved additional personnel to prevent further attacks on families of those allegedly involved in the killing over business rivalry. The owner of the channelling centre is alleged to have hired an army officer, holding the rank of Captain, to kill the doctor.

The suspect has told investigators that his income had drastically dropped as the slain doctor was popular among the patients.

The Army Captain, who undertook the contract to kill the doctor, has also been arrested by the police.

At the behest of the Captain two soldiers attached to his camp had carried out the attack.

The suspected killers are brothers. They gunned down Dr. Ranasinghe opposite his Digasi Medical Centre at Thalgahandiya in Karandeniya on the night of Sept. 29 around 10.00 p.m.

Firearms allegedly used in the killing have been recovered.