Sri Lankan opposition leader gunned down in office

23-Oct-2025

.

A Sri Lankan opposition politician was shot dead inside his office in Weligama on October 22, marking the first high-profile political assassination since President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s administration took office last year.

The victim, Lasantha Wickramasekara, 38, served as the chairman of the Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha and was a senior member of the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). Known locally as Midigama Lasa, Wickramasekara was meeting constituents at his office when two unidentified assailants entered and opened fire at close range.

According to police reports, the attackers arrived on a motorcycle and told staff they needed a document signed by the chairman. Moments later, they stormed into his office and fired multiple rounds from a pistol. Wickramasekara was hit several times and collapsed on the spot.

He was rushed to Matara General Hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival. No other individuals were hurt in the shooting.

Police said the gunmen fled the scene immediately after the attack, triggering a massive search operation across the southern district. “We are conducting a full-scale investigation to identify and apprehend those responsible,” police said in a statement, mentioning that the "motive remains unclear".

Wickramasekara was regarded as an influential figure in the southern province and a key organiser for the SJB in the region. His assassination has sent shockwaves through the political establishment, underscoring the deteriorating law and order situation in Sri Lanka.