Sri Lanka’s main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) on Thursday (October 23, 2025) wore black in Parliament to protest what it termed the government’s insensitive response to the killing of one of its local council chairmen.

Lasantha Wickramasekera, who headed the Weligama local authority in the southern Matara district, was shot dead by an unidentified gunman in his office on Tuesday (October 21).

The incident marked the first political killing since the National People’s Power (NPP) Government came to power a year ago.

Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala, who is in charge of the police force, told Parliament on Wednesday (October 22) that Wickramasekera had a “criminal past” with links to the underworld.

“Wickramasekera has six pending court cases and had previously served suspended jail sentences,” he said.

His remarks drew sharp criticism from the Opposition benches.

The SJB accused Mr. Wijepala of attempting to brand the slain local council chairman as a criminal.

“Wickramasekera became chairman through people’s votes,” SJB legislator Mujibar Rahman said, condemning the Minister’s remarks.

Mr. Wijepala maintained that Wickramasekera’s killing was the result of a gang rivalry, but Opposition MP Chamara Sampath challenged the Minister to arrest the gunman and produce his statement in Parliament if the government believed the murder was linked to underworld disputes..