Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited Mannar on Thursday, addressing issues such as land grabs, cross-country transport, and what he termed the forging of a “common Sri Lankan identity.”

A brazen shooting incident was reported near the Gampaha public bus stand on Wednesday, as two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle opened fire at a moving lorry in broad daylight before fleeing the scene.

The two passengers inside the lorry reportedly abandoned the vehicle and ran into a nearby shop in an attempt to seek refuge. The lorry sustained visible damage in the attack. Local police have said investigations are ongoing, but perpetrators haven't been identified or motive established.