Sri Lanka’s police chief has issued a damning statement, suggesting that MP Jagath Withana’s recent security threats are tied not to politics, but to his alleged links with the underworld and organized crime.
Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasuriya revealed that Member of Parliament Jagath Withana has been provided temporary security following reported death threats. However, he emphasized that the origin of these threats does not appear to stem from political activity. Instead, they are believed to have arisen due to the MP’s associations with individuals connected to fraudulent businesses and organized crime networks.
According to the IGP, intelligence reports have indicated that the threat emerged through Withana’s proximity to underworld elements. He clarified that police investigators are analyzing every piece of information related to the case, forwarding details to ground-level units. He also admitted that such findings had reached his office through the investigation process.
Weerasuriya drew parallels to past incidents, citing the case of a murdered chairman who had previously requested security in writing, only for authorities to overlook the warning until it was too late. He said this underlines how deep-rooted the problem has become, where even documented threats are sometimes ignored until tragedy strikes.
In a broader warning, the IGP highlighted that Sri Lanka’s political system itself faces a severe threat from criminal infiltration. He accused drug traffickers and organized crime figures of deliberately entering politics to shield their illegal activities. These individuals, he said, “dress in white while doing black work,” presenting themselves as legitimate politicians while using their positions as cover for narcotics trafficking, fraud, and racketeering.
The police chief urged political parties to take responsibility in this crisis. He insisted that each party must carefully decide whether to grant membership or candidacy to individuals suspected of ties to the underworld or the drug trade. He warned that unless political leaders exercise caution, criminals will continue to use elections and political office to entrench themselves in national politics.
The statement paints a grim picture of Sri Lanka’s governance, where threats to public figures like Jagath Withana expose the dangerous overlap between politics and organized crime. For the public, it raises urgent questions about the integrity of political representation and the risks posed when criminal elements infiltrate positions of power.
