Sri Lanka’s leading opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), made a striking statement in Parliament on Thursday, October 23, 2025. Members arrived dressed in black, a powerful gesture to condemn what they described as the government’s inadequate and insensitive reaction to the recent murder of one of their respected local council chairmen.
The victim, Lasantha Wickramasekera, who chaired the Weligama local authority in the Matara district’s southern region, was tragically gunned down in his office on Tuesday, October 21. The assailant remains unidentified.
This assassination marks a grim milestone, being the first political killing recorded since the National People’s Power (NPP) Government assumed office a year prior.
In a controversial move, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala, who oversees the nation’s police force, informed Parliament on Wednesday, October 22, that Wickramasekera had a “criminal past” and alleged connections to the underworld.
Minister Wijepala further elaborated, stating, “Wickramasekera faced six pending court cases and had previously served suspended jail sentences.”
These assertions immediately sparked a furious backlash from the opposition benches.
The SJB vehemently criticized Mr. Wijepala, accusing him of attempting to unfairly tarnish the reputation of the murdered local council chairman by labeling him a criminal.
“Mr. Wickramasekera was elected chairman by the people’s votes,” asserted SJB legislator Mujibar Rahman, vocally denouncing the Minister’s remarks.
Despite the uproar, Mr. Wijepala continued to maintain that Wickramasekera’s murder stemmed from rival gang activities. However, Opposition MP Chamara Sampath directly challenged the Minister, demanding that if the government truly believed this, they should promptly arrest the gunman and present his official statement to Parliament for scrutiny.