In a tragic twist, the murdered Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman, Lasantha Wickramasekara, had written directly to the IGP weeks before his assassination, warning that he faced credible death threats from underworld gangs. His letter, now made public, reveals how seriously he feared for his life.
Wickramasekara, who was shot dead while seated in his office on Public Day, had sent a letter on August 29 detailing the threats. Despite his repeated alerts, he was left unprotected, and his fears materialized in a brutal killing that has shaken the country.
Below is the letter in full:
Regarding securing my life,
I was elected as a member of the Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha in the 2025 local government election and am currently planning to serve in that position as the Chairman of the Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha. However, I have received threats from various parties and at that time I was threatened that I would not be allowed to take the oath as the Chairman.
In addition, I have stated that various parties are already threatening me through social media networks. I claim that I have informed the police several times in this regard. The police have informed me to be aware of these threats.
I believe that they are trying to kill me when I come to court or when I leave for the Pradeshiya Sabha. A number of major underworld gangs have threatened me in this regard.
I believe that I have received reliable information that they have said that they will kill me.
The shocking letter underscores that Wickramasekara foresaw his own death but was ignored by the very authorities he appealed to. His murder now raises pressing questions about the failure of the police, negligence in handling threats, and the grim reality of political figures being left vulnerable to the underworld.
