On October 22, an unidentified gunman shot and killed an opposition political leader at his office, making him the first actor to die in a wave of shootings that have affected Sri Lanka in recent months.
Mr. Lasantha Wickramasekara - Chairman of the coastal town council of Weligama (Sri Lanka) - was handling the case when the suspect entered the building and opened fire with a gun, according to the local police.
The perpetrator fled immediately after the shooting, while Wickramasekara died at the hospital due to severe injuries. The police have not yet released the reason for the case and said they are investigating to determine the suspect.
The 38-year-old was elected to the town council as a representative of the opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya, which won a landslide in the election to control the council against the ruling party.
Sri Lanka has recently witnessed an increase in crime, especially shooting incidents, mainly due to conflicts between gangs in dividing the drug market.
According to official figures, there have been 100 shootings in Sri Lanka since the beginning of the year, killing 51 people and injuring 56. Wickramasekara was the first actor to be killed in the new violence.
The government is committed to tightening order and increasing the suppression of gangs. The police said they have arrested dozens of gang leaders and notorious criminals.
Some of the alleged leaders are hiding in countries such as the UAE, Indonesia, India and Nepal. Sri Lankan police have coordinated with law enforcement agencies in these countries to arrest more than a dozen ringleaders and extradite them back to their home country in recent months.
