Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) spokesperson, Attorney-at-Law Manoj Gamage, has strongly condemned the fatal shooting of SLPP candidate and activist Dan Priyasad, calling it a “deeply troubling and politically motivated killing.”
Gamage stated that Priyasad, who was contesting for the Kolonnawa Municipal Council from the Meethotamulla ward, had been a vocal Sinhala-Buddhist activist and a prominent social figure for years. He alleged that the assassination may be linked to his outspoken political views.
“It is now becoming evident that those with dissenting views are increasingly being targeted,” Gamage said, questioning whether Priyasad’s political stance led to his death.
He warned that the country is witnessing a rise in daily killings, attributing it to a breakdown in the rule of law. Drawing parallels with the political violence of the late 1980s, Gamage claimed that the government may be using underworld elements to silence opponents, as was seen during the Premadasa era.
He stressed that Dan Priyasad was neither part of the underworld nor involved in criminal activity. “He was a young man who stood for his beliefs, not a gangster. The narrative that this was an underworld killing is unacceptable,” Gamage said.
The SLPP spokesperson held the government accountable for the current climate of fear, saying, “Today, all our lives are under threat. The government has allowed a culture of impunity.”
He further demanded that authorities take full responsibility for the killing and ensure justice for Priyasad. (Newswire)