The bodies of the seven prison officers killed in the recent Negombo Prison clash were brought this morning (08) to the Welikada Prison in a vehicle procession.

Final respects are being paid to the officers at Welikada before the remains are handed over to their families.

The officers lost their lives during violent clashes inside Negombo Prison on the morning of July 6, which left multiple casualties. (Newswire)

Prison officials are paying their final respects to the seven officers who lost their lives in the Negombo Prison violence at a ceremony held at Welikada Prison in Colombo. pic.twitter.com/7yN4hjajtu

— NewsWire (@NewsWireLK) July 8, 2026

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Vehicular traffic will be restricted around the Independence Square in Colombo today, in view of the funeral of late veteran Sri Lankan actress Malini Fonseka. 

The funeral of the late actress will be held at Independence Square with state honours from 04.00 pm to 06.00 pm today. 

Her remains, which were placed at the National Film Corporation premises for public viewing yesterday, will be transported to Independence Square this morning. 

Malini Fonseka, the revered “Queen of Sri Lankan Cinema,” passed away at the age of 78 in Colombo on Saturday.  With a career spanning over 150 films and numerous accolades, her legacy in cinema is unparalleled. 

The Police state that the roads around the vicinity of the Independence Square will not be completely closed during the final rites of the late actress, but will be temporarily restricted. 

Motorists have been urged to use alternative roads during this period. (Newswire)

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake paid his final respects to the late Parliamentarian Kosala Nuwan Jayaweera, who passed away recently.

The National Peoples’ Power (NPP) Kegalle District MP passed away on Sunday (06 Apr), at the age of 38.

He was reportedly admitted to the Karawanella Hospital following a sudden heart attack and was pronounced dead shortly after.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake attended the late MP’s funeral yesterday, where he was seen consoling the parents of Kosala Nuwan Jayaweera. (Newswire)

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A unique and emotional farewell to a car in Gujarat’s Amreli district has captured the attention of many. A Gujarati family recently held a funeral ceremony for their “lucky car,” a 12-year-old Wagon R, spending a hefty Rs 4 lakh on the event attended by 1,500 people.

The ceremony involved a 15-foot deep pit, where the vehicle was placed with rituals. The Wagon R, decorated with marigold garlands and rose petals on the roof, was lowered into the pit with people capturing the unusual sight on their devices.

Sanjay Polara, the car’s owner, shared with the Times of India that the vehicle had brought prosperity and respect to his family over the years. “I bought this car nearly 12 years ago, and it brought prosperity to the family. Apart from seeing success in business, my family also gained respect. The vehicle proved lucky for my family and me. Hence, instead of selling it, I gave it a samadhi at my farm as a tribute,” Polara said.

Polara shared that he intends to plant a tree at the burial site as a tribute, symbolising the car’s significance for future generations. The tree will stand as a reminder that the family’s “lucky car” lies beneath it.

In preparation for the ceremony, Polara sent a four-page invitation to approximately 2,000 people from his village. The invite read, “This car has been like a family member since 2006, and it brought us good fortunes. We gained prosperity, and our reputation in society was elevated. We want this car in our memory forever, and that’s why we have planned a samadhi (burial) of this car,” as reported by TOI.

As the video went viral, netizens quickly saw the humor in it and shared their reactions. One person wrote, “Archeological survey will be excavating wagonr in year 3024.” Another user quipped, “people in future are gonna trip on this.” A third user wrote, “This happens only in India.” (Indian Express)

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Some 200 people showed up at a public multi-faith funeral service in Ottawa Sunday to mourn the six Sri Lankans killed more than a week ago in the city’s Barrhaven suburb.

Organized by the Buddhist Congress of Canada (BCC), the service at the Infinity Convention Centre paid tribute to the victims: a family of newcomers to Canada from Sri Lanka and their friend.

According to police, four children and two adults were killed inside a suburban townhouse in south Ottawa on March 6.

Darshani Dilanthika Ekanayake, 35, was killed along with her three daughters — three-year-old Ranaya, four-year-old Ashwini, and two-month-old Kelly — and her seven-year-old son Inuka.

The body of a family friend, 40-year-old Gamini Amarakoon, who’d recently arrived in Canada from Sri Lanka, was also found at the scene.

Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, the family’s father, survived the attack. He was injured with an edged weapon and taken to hospital.

Buddhist monks from Toronto and Ottawa led prayers and performed traditional funeral customs at Sunday’s service.

They also thanked Ottawa’s first responders for their work.

Wickramasinghe was in attendance, but did not deliver any remarks or speak to media.

Instead, he issued a statement afterward in which he thanked various groups — including first responders, the hospital, the BCC and the wider Sri Lankan community — for helping him deal with the “shock and chaos” in the wake of the killings.

He also said he was “devastated and torn” by the deaths of his wife, children and good friend.

“This tragedy has shaken me and my family deeply … I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the public for their thoughts and prayers as I navigate through the aftermath of this tragedy,” he wrote.

In a video message played at the funeral, Dishani Asangika Fernando, Amarakoon’s wife, thanked him for being “a lovely husband [and] an amazing father all the time.”

“I have a lot to tell, but right now I am speechless,” she said. 

“You [came here] to give a good future for our kids. But all our dreams just faded away in a way we never thought of.”

Several Canadian dignitaries spoke at the funeral, including Liberal MPs Gary Anandasangaree and Chandra Arya, Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod and Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe.

“I want you to know your community is with you,” Sutcliffe told the victims’ families. “We must pull together as a community in a time like this.

“There are more difficult days ahead. This will be an unimaginable time for these families in the days and weeks and months ahead … we will honour the memories of your family members.”

Suspect in protective custody, lawyer says

Febrio De-Zoysa, 19, has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

De-Zoysa was living with the family when he allegedly killed them late at night. He was also a former student at Algonquin College.

His lawyer, Ewan Lyttle, told reporters on Thursday that De-Zoysa is in protective custody due to the seriousness of the charges against him.

Lyttle said Thursday it was too early to talk about a mental health assessment.

None of the charges against De-Zoysa have been proven and court has not heard any evidence surrounding the circumstances of the crimes.

De-Zoysa is expected back in court on March 28. (CBC)

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