President’s brother dies

by Jaliya Wijeyekoon

Priyantha Sirisena, the youngest brother of President Maithripala Sirisena who was attacked by Ishara Lakmal Saputhanthri with an axe on the head on Thursday evening, passed away at 3.50 a.m. yesterday at the Nawaloka Hospital.

Priyantha Sirisena was admitted to the Polonnaruwa Hospital soon after the incident on Thursday evening and was airlifted to the Nawaloka Hospital as his condition was critical. Hospital sources said that he was taken for emergency surgery.

President Maithripala Sirisena who is on a State visit to China had heard about the incident on Thursday evening and instructed the hospital authorities to give him the best treatment to save his life.

Police Spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekera said that Priyantha was fighting for life for almost one-and-a-half days and succumbed to his injuries early yesterday morning around 3.50.

The Police spokesman said that it was over a personal dispute which had cropped up between Priyantha Sirisena and Lakmal Saputhanthri which led to this unfortunate incident.

The suspect, Saputhanthri had surrendered to the Bakamuna police station on Thursday late evening and was produced before the Magistrate on Friday.

Saputhanthri was remanded till April 8 by the Magistrate. Police Spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekera said that the postmortem examination was held by Colombo Judicial Medical Officer Dr. S.P.A. Hewage yesterday afternoon who returned a verdict of death due to the serious injuries caused to the back of the head and excessive bleeding.

The Police Spokesman said that funeral arrangements will be notified by the family members after President Maithripala returns from China.