Kosgoda Tharaka - an underworld figure who was in police custody - was killed in a shootout early this morning, the Police Media Spokesman said.

Tharaka was initially in the Custody of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and was later transferred to the Western Province North Crimes Division. Last night, he was escorted to Wendapola in Meerigama police area for a special operation and had been shot dead during the "operation".

Tharaka's name was linked to a number of criminal activities including a robbery of Rs.1.7 Mn in cash, a robbery of Rs. 2.3 Mn at People’s Bank in Kosgoda, a robbery in Moratuwa and leading a gang that robbed jewellery shop in Matara killing a Police Constable.

However, just hours before Tharaka was killed, several news websites predicted his death while in the police cusoty. They revealed that there was a plan to kill the underworld criminal and to portray it as a killing that occured during a shootout with the police. A number of other underworld criminals also died in the police custody in a similar manner and the police presented identical narratives to explain the circumstances leading to the killings.