Sri Lankan Opposition Politician Shot Dead

A shocking assassination has shaken Sri Lanka’s political scene. Lasantha Wickramasekara, a 38-year-old opposition politician, was shot dead inside his office on Wednesday, marking the first political killing in a recent wave of shootings across the island nation.

As reported by the Associated Press, police said an unidentified gunman entered Wickramasekara’s office in the coastal town of Weligama and opened fire before fleeing. The council head was rushed to a hospital but did not survive.

Authorities believe the attack may be linked to gang rivalries. Sri Lanka’s public security minister alleged that Wickramasekara had ties to narcotics and faced multiple court cases, claims the opposition dismissed as politically motivated.

Opposition leaders condemned the killing, accusing the government of failing to protect its rivals. “The government must take the responsibility for this killing. This is a political killing,” said lawmaker Ranjith Madduma Bandara.

Sri Lanka has seen a sharp rise in violent crime, with 100 shootings reported this year, resulting in 51 deaths and 56 injuries. Police have arrested dozens of suspected gang leaders, some of whom were extradited from countries including the UAE, Indonesia, India, and Nepal.