Police have recovered a body from a well near the residence of the late Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Lasantha Wickramasekara, Ada Derana reported on April 20.
Wickramasekara was shot dead in late October 2025. In the days before his killing he had written to police, a letter the authorities later confirmed receiving. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa attended his funeral, and a suspect had been sought in connection with the shooting, though no arrest had been publicly announced.
The discovery of a body in a well close to the same residence nearly six months on raises immediate questions about whether the remains are connected to the October 2025 murder investigation — either a missing witness, a suspect, or someone linked to the original case. Police had not publicly disclosed the identity of the deceased or the circumstances of the death at the time of Ada Derana’s report.
Local political violence in Sri Lanka’s south has been a persistent concern since last year, with several incidents involving serving and former local government members. The killing of a Pradeshiya Sabha chairman is among the most serious, and the case had already drawn scrutiny over whether the earlier police complaint filed by Wickramasekara was acted on in time. A second death near the same property is likely to renew those questions.
Further details — including the cause of death, how long the body had been in the well, and whether any forensic link has been established to the original murder — are expected as the police investigation progresses.
