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Sri Lankan politician shot dead during public meeting in Weligama
Colombo, October 22, 2025 — A Sri Lankan local politician was shot dead on Wednesday during a public meeting in the southern coastal city of Weligama, police said. The gunman, who opened fire multiple times before escaping, remains at large.
The victim, Lasantha Wickramasekara, 38, was the head of the Weligama municipal council and a member of the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party. Authorities reported that no one else was injured in the attack, which took place as Wickramasekara met with local residents.
“This is the first assassination targeting a political figure since the election of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in September 2024,” a police spokesperson confirmed, adding that the motive for the killing has not yet been established.
In recent months, Sri Lanka has seen a surge in violent crime, much of it linked to organized gangs and drug trafficking. Police figures show that around 50 people have been killed in underworld-related shootings since the beginning of the year.
One of the most dramatic incidents occurred last February, when a man disguised as a lawyer shot dead an alleged drug lord inside a Colombo courthouse — an attack that highlighted growing concerns over law enforcement and public security on the island.