News

The National People’s Front (NPF) has submitted a written request today to the Information Officer of the Department of Examinations, seeking clarification regarding the accuracy of the educational qualifications of Minister of Trade, Wasantha Samarasinghe.

The request was made under the provisions of the Right to Information Act, No. 12 of 2016.

Present at the occasion were NPF Chief Advisor Ven. Wellampitiya Sumanadhamma Thero, Deputy Leader Upatissa Kumarathunga, Financial Secretary Dinushka Gunasekara, Kolonnawa Chief Organizer Ajith Kumara, and Kolonnawa Organizer Jayasinghe.

Deputy Leader Upatissa Kumarathunga, addressing the media after handing over the letter, stated that Minister Samarasinghe has repeatedly claimed in Parliament, on television programs, and on political platforms that he passed the G.C.E. Advanced Level examination in 1995 from the Anuradhapura District in the Commerce stream, securing District Rank 03, and was subsequently selected to the University of Kelaniya to study for a Management degree.

However, according to the NPF, during the years 1995–1998, students who achieved District Ranks 01 to 05 in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts in the Commerce stream were admitted to the Management Faculty of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Therefore, the NPF has formally requested the Examinations Commissioner to confirm whether Minister Samarasinghe sat for the A/L examination in the Commerce stream from the Anuradhapura District, and if so, whether he in fact secured District Rank 03.

Allegation of Political Placement

The NPF further questioned whether the Minister was directed to the University of Kelaniya not based on merit but for political purposes, specifically to engage in student politics on behalf of the JVP. They alleged that his placement was strategically arranged by the JVP to enable him to play a leading role in the Inter-University Students’ Federation.

According to the NPF, this raises doubts as to whether his entry into Kelaniya University was primarily for political activism rather than academic pursuit.

Call for Transparency

The NPF challenged Minister Samarasinghe to publicly produce his Advanced Level results sheet as proof of his claims. They stated that if his District Rank was indeed 03, he should have been admitted to the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, not Kelaniya.

The NPF further alleged that Minister Samarasinghe’s political involvement at Kelaniya University contributed to student unrest, loss of educational rights, classroom bans, and in some cases, students being deprived of their degrees.

Concluding their remarks, the NPF urged the Examinations Commissioner to verify and communicate the truth regarding the Minister’s A/L results without delay. Until then, they said, they would closely monitor the matter.

They also appealed to university students, parents, and the general public to be cautious of the “double standards” of the JVP and its allies, stressing that the NPF would not allow such “falsehoods” to continue misleading the country.

A major breakthrough has emerged in the long-running investigation into the death of national rugby player Wasim Thajudeen, who died under suspicious circumstances on May 17, 2012, near Shalika Grounds in Narahenpita.

Initially classified as a car accident, the case was investigated by the Narahenpita Police and the Borella Crimes Investigation Division. Based on their findings, the death was deemed accidental, and the case was closed.

However, in 2015, then-DIG of the Colombo Range, Gamini Mathurata, submitted a report to then-IGP N.K. Illangakoon, prompting the transfer of the case to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). A comprehensive investigation followed, revealing that the initial post-mortem had been improperly conducted, raising serious doubts about the cause of death.

The CID obtained court approval to exhume Thajudeen’s body. A second post-mortem, led by then-Colombo Chief Judicial Medical Officer Dr. Ajith Tennakoon, revealed missing bones in the chest and neck areas. The findings confirmed that Thajudeen’s death was not accidental, but a homicide.

Treating the case as murder, CID detectives retraced Thajudeen’s final movements. CCTV footage showed him parking near a supermarket in Havelock Town to buy water. Upon leaving, another vehicle was seen tailing his car. The CID released footage of an unidentified individual near the second vehicle, but no identification was made at the time.

A new lead surfaced following the arrest of several wanted Sri Lankan criminals in Indonesia, including Kehelbaddara Padme, Commando Salinda, Panadura Nilanga, Backhoe Saman, and Thambili Lahiru. Among them, Backhoe Saman—a known member of an organized crime syndicate—was linked to the assassination of Aruna Shantha, alias Middeniye Kajja, who was gunned down in early 2025.

CID investigators received a voluntary statement from Kajja’s wife, who confirmed her husband had received threats and had publicly spoken about the Thajudeen case in a 2023 YouTube interview.

When shown the CCTV image of the individual near the second vehicle in Thajudeen case, she identified the person as her late husband, citing specific traits such as his posture—placing hands on hips due to chronic hip pain.

Her statement strongly suggests that the previously unidentified individual in the footage is indeed Aruna Shantha, alias Kajja.

This identification marks a significant development in a case that has spanned over a decade, marred by delays and controversy.The CID continues to pursue leads and is actively investigating the murder of Wasim Thajudeen.

newsfirst.lk

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka reports that with the lifting of restrictions on vehicle imports, the country has spent a total of USD 1,007.5 million on vehicle imports during the eight-month period from January to August 2025.

This was disclosed in the Central Bank’s External Sector Performance Report for August 2025.

According to the report, the highest monthly expenditure on vehicle imports so far this year was recorded in August 2025, amounting to USD 255.7 million.

The monthly expenditure on vehicle imports for the period January to August 2025 is as follows (in USD million):

• January – 29.1
• February – 22.3
• March – 54.0
• April – 145.6
• May – 125.2
• June – 169.6
• July – 206.0
• August – 255.7

Former State Minister Prasanna Ranaweera, who was in remand custody over allegations of fraudulent land transactions, was released on bail today by the Gampaha High Court.

High Court Judge Nayana Senaviratne granted bail under strict conditions, including a cash bail of Rs. 500,000 and five sureties of Rs. 500,000 each.

In addition, the court imposed a foreign travel ban and ordered the surrender of his passport.

Ranaweera had been remanded in connection with a case involving the sale of state-owned land in Kiribathgoda using forged deeds.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake returned to the country this morning (01) following his official visit to Japan.

The President departed Sri Lanka on September 22 to attend the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Thereafter, on the invitation of the Government of Japan, he arrived at Kansai International Airport in Osaka on the morning of September 27.

Joining the President on this visit were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Wijitha Herath, together with senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ten hand grenades have been discovered inside a sack in the Modara Aluth Mawatha area in Colombo.

Police stated that the discovery was made during a search operation carried out based on information received by the Terrorism Investigation Division.

A stock of military equipment has been discovered in the Weheragala Reservoir in Kataragama.

The recovery includes 74 T-56 magazines, 35 LMG drums, 5 MPMG drum boxes, along with several unidentified magazines. In addition, two boxes suspected to contain explosives and two sacks believed to hold weapons were also found at the site.

The discovery was made following an intelligence tip received by the Army. The stockpile had surfaced as a result of receding water levels in the reservoir. Since the location falls under the Gonaganara Police Division, the items were handed over to the Gonaganara Police Station for further investigation.

Sri Lanka’s inflation, measured by the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI), edged up to 1.5% in September 2025, compared to 1.2% in August 2025, according to figures released by the Department of Census and Statistics.

The CCPI for September stood at 193.7 index points, showing a modest rise of 0.4 points from August’s value of 193.3.

Breaking down the data, the Food category recorded a sharper increase, with year-on-year inflation rising to 2.9% in September from 2.0% in August. Meanwhile, inflation in the Non-Food category eased slightly to 0.7%, compared to 0.8% in the previous month.

In terms of contributions to inflation, food commodities alone accounted for 0.94% on a year-on-year basis in June 2025, highlighting their continued influence on overall price levels.

At the invitation of the Japanese Government, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with Emperor Naruhito of Japan during his official visit to the country.

The meeting took place yesterday (30) at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

President Dissanayake was warmly received by Emperor Naruhito at the Imperial Residence, following which they engaged in a cordial discussion.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Wijitha Herath, was also present at the occasion.

Senior Police Officer Satish Gamage of the Cultural Division at the Police Headquarters, who was in custody on bribery charges, has been granted bail by the Colombo Magistrate’s Court.

During his tenure as Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of the Galle and Ambilipitiya Police Divisions, he allegedly opened three private bank accounts under another person’s name. Through these accounts, he is accused of receiving approximately Rs. 14.5 million in bribes from organized criminals, individuals seeking police services, and other offenders. He also faced charges of money laundering.

The Bribery Commission had arrested him and presented him before the court. After considering the submissions made by Bribery Commission officials and the legal counsel, the court had remanded him in custody, from which he has now been granted bail.

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (Ceypetco) has announced a revision of fuel prices effective from midnight today (30).

According to the announcement, the price of Auto Diesel will be reduced by Rs. 6 to Rs. 277 per litre, and Petrol 95 Octane will be reduced by Rs. 6 to Rs. 335 per litre.

Kerosene will be reduced by Rs. 5 to Rs. 180 per litre.

Meanwhile, there will be no change in the prices of Petrol 92 Octane and Super Diesel.

The revised rates are as follows:

Auto Diesel – Rs. 277 (reduced by Rs. 6) Petrol 95 Octane – Rs. 335 (reduced by Rs. 6) Kerosene – Rs. 180 (reduced by Rs. 5)

Super Diesel – (not revised) Petrol 92 Octane – (not revised)

More than 40 students at Mandirigiriya Mandalagiriya National School fell ill suddenly this morning (30) during a community service activity and were admitted to Mandirigiriya Primary Hospital.

The students had been participating in a classroom cleaning program when symptoms of illness appeared. Several of them were hospitalized due to the severity of their symptoms.

At present, five children are receiving inpatient treatment, while the others have been treated and discharged from the hospital.