Police Chief has instructed the Police to conduct a special probe into the incident where two unidentified armed groups opened fire at the houses of Wasantha Hapuarachchi, Commissioner of Excise Department and the Chief of the Special Investigations Unit of the Department early this morning.

The two incidents took place simultaneously giving rise to serious doubts whether the firing had some connection with the Ethanol controversy.

Sources of the Customs Department confirmed Asian Mirror that the two officials played a key role in unearthing the ethanol scam, one of the largest rackets reported in the Sri Lankan media in the recent past.

Media Spokesman of the Excise Department Prabath Jayawickrama told ‘Asian Mirror’ that the exact reason behind the shooting incident is still obscure.

However, Police sources told ‘Asian Mirror’ that the shooting incident might have a connection with one of the raids conducted by the Excise Department recently.

A senior spokesman of Police said that the IGP telephoned the Commissioner of the  Excise Department soon after the incident.