Thu Oct 23 09:47:45 UTC 2025: News Article:

Sri Lankan Opposition Protests Government’s Response to Council Chairman’s Murder

Colombo – October 23, 2025 – Sri Lanka’s Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), the main opposition party, staged a protest in Parliament today, wearing black to express their outrage over the government’s handling of the recent killing of Lasantha Wickramasekera, the chairman of the Weligama local authority.

Wickramasekera was fatally shot in his office on Tuesday by an unidentified gunman. The incident marks the first political killing since the National People’s Power (NPP) Government assumed power a year ago.

Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala sparked controversy when he told Parliament on Wednesday that Wickramasekera had a criminal history and underworld connections. According to Wijepala, the slain chairman had six pending court cases and had previously served suspended jail sentences.

The SJB strongly condemned the Minister’s remarks, accusing him of attempting to discredit the victim. “Wickramasekera became chairman through people’s votes,” stated SJB legislator Mujibar Rahman.

While Minister Wijepala maintains that the killing was the result of a gang rivalry, Opposition MP Chamara Sampath challenged him to apprehend the gunman and present his statement in Parliament as evidence of the government’s claims. The Opposition seeks a full and transparent investigation into Wickramasekera’s murder, rejecting what they see as attempts to smear his name.

Summary of the provided text:

The text is a news report from The Hindu newspaper covering a protest in the Sri Lankan Parliament. The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) is protesting the government’s response to the murder of a local council chairman, Lasantha Wickramasekera. The government, through the Public Security Minister, implied that the murder was related to Wickramasekera’s alleged criminal past, which angered the opposition. The SJB accuses the government of trying to discredit the victim and demands a proper investigation. The article includes quotes from both the opposition and the government.

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