Sri Lanka’s political landscape has been rocked by the assassination of Lasantha Wickramasekara, a 38-year-old opposition politician, who was shot dead inside his office in Weligama on Wednesday. This incident marks the first political killing in a recent surge of violent shootings across the nation. According to the Associated Press, an unidentified gunman entered Wickramasekara’s office, opened fire, and fled the scene. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Wickramasekara succumbed to his injuries. Authorities have suggested that the attack may be connected to gang rivalries, with Sri Lanka’s public security minister alleging that the victim had ties to narcotics and faced multiple court cases. However, opposition leaders have dismissed these claims as politically motivated, accusing the government of failing to protect its political rivals. Lawmaker Ranjith Madduma Bandara condemned the killing, stating, ‘The government must take responsibility for this. This is a political killing.’ Sri Lanka has witnessed a significant increase in violent crime this year, with 100 shootings reported, resulting in 51 deaths and 56 injuries. Police have arrested dozens of suspected gang leaders, some of whom were extradited from countries including the UAE, Indonesia, India, and Nepal.