The Wellawa police shot dead two underworld characters, who had escaped from police custody.

Police tracked the escapees to an abandoned building in the jungle and killed both after an exchange of gunfire in which two constables received injuries.

The men had been earlier arrested over a number of murders and robberies and were held in the Wellawa Police cell. They made their break for freedom by scaling the cell wall and removing tiles from the roof. While running out of the compound they also removed the service rifle of a Police Constable.

One of them was the successor to Prince Column who was shot dead by the Police a few months ago at Bloemendhal Road in Kotahena.

The duo was involved in 24 murders including that of an English tuition master in Kurunegala early last year in addition to several robberies, Police said.

They were being held by the Wellawa Police on a detention order and were being questioned when they made their escape bid.