Fresh revelations have reignited the Wasim Thajudeen murder investigation, with police uncovering CCTV evidence linking the slain rugby star’s death to a murdered underworld figure, his grieving widow, and a notorious crime syndicate operating across Sri Lanka.
The mystery surrounding the death of former Sri Lankan rugby player Wasim Thajudeen has taken a dramatic turn as new details emerge from an ongoing police investigation. Thajudeen died under suspicious circumstances on May 17, 2012, when his car crashed into a wall near Shalika Stadium on Park Road, Narahenpita. At the time, the Narahenpita Police initially treated the case as a road accident, concluding that the player had died after his vehicle caught fire.
However, concerns raised by the then-Colombo District DIG prompted the Inspector General of Police to assign the case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). In 2015, Thajudeen’s body was exhumed on court orders, and a new post-mortem examination confirmed that the rugby player had been murdered. The autopsy revealed missing bones and injuries inconsistent with a road accident.
Now, CCTV evidence has shed further light on the killing. Investigators discovered that another suspicious vehicle followed Thajudeen’s car on the night of his death. A man was seen boarding this vehicle, and the CID has been working to identify him. In a shocking development, the widow of Anura Priyantha Kumara, alias Vidanagamage—known as “Kajja”—who was murdered along with his two children in Middeniya in February 2025, identified the person in the CCTV footage as her late husband.
The woman testified that her husband suffered from chronic back problems, which caused him to habitually hold his hands behind his back. This unique detail matched the posture of the person captured on CCTV, strengthening her identification. Kajja’s widow further revealed that her husband had spoken in an interview about key details surrounding Thajudeen’s murder, raising suspicions of his direct involvement.
Investigations also point to a notorious organized crime figure, Backo Saman, who was recently extradited to Sri Lanka. According to the widow, Backo Saman had direct links to her husband’s murder, which she believes was connected to the Thajudeen case.
These revelations suggest that Thajudeen’s death may have been part of a wider criminal conspiracy involving powerful underworld elements. The CID continues to pursue leads connecting Kajja, Backo Saman, and other members of the organized crime network.
The latest developments not only reopen old wounds for Thajudeen’s family and fans but also highlight the deep nexus between sports, politics, and organized crime in Sri Lanka. The investigation is ongoing, and police have vowed to bring all those responsible to justice.
