News
Farmer killed, another injured in leopard attack at Ampara
by Ifham Nizam
A Sri Lankan leopard, scientifically known as Panthera pardus kotiya, killed a farmer and injured another villager on Wednesday night at Panama in Ampara, police said.
“Generally, leopards in our jungles are scared of humans, but if they do encounter people and find it an easy target, the tendency would be higher for them to attack”, says researcher-cum-author Rajika Gamage.
Under the circumstances, the big cats would prefer to attack a human rather than a wild boar or a deer. Naturally, most of their prey have antelopes or horns but humans have nothing other than nails, he said.
Gamage who conducts research on leopards in the upcountry told The Sunday Island that leopards usually don’t take on humans who are in a standing position. Those in sleeping or sitting positions are more vulnerable.
He opined that the leopard responsible for the latest attack could be the same animal which killed a wildlife officer and injured another a year ago. “Studying the proximity of the distance would reveal whether it was the same leopard”.
He said that recently a leopard killed a woman during Pada Yatra while she was squatting to answer the call of nature. However, the incident where a woman was killed by a leopard at Nawalapitiya was puzzling as they usually don’t first attack the face of a victim first.
Gamage explained that dragging a person is easy for a grown leopard. It would be like “grabbing a loaf of bread”.
Meanwhile, more than 20 leopards were killed since January 2020, according to the Wildlife Department. This year the department will be conducting a series of awareness programs to prevent leopard deaths due to human intervention.
Wildlife Conservation Director (Health) Dr. Tharaka Prasad told The Sunday Island that the Sri Lankan leopard is strictly protected under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance. Sri Lankan leopards are regarded as an endangered species.
However, in recent months, several deaths of leopards have been reported from some parts of the country, particularly after the animals were caught in snares and sustained critical injuries.
Some environmentalists claim that leopards are being deliberately trapped and killed for their bone fragments used in traditional medicines.
“Using snares and traps to kill leopards are strictly prohibited under the law, but it continues to happen”, Dr. Prasad said conceded.
Sometimes, leopards fall prey to snares set up for other animals”, he added.
News
Cabinet nod to increase the number of new automated passenger clearance gates at the Bandaranayake International Airport to 12
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 19.05.2025 to purchase four (04) automated passenger clearance gates for Bandaranayake International Airport.
In addition, it is expected to extend the automated passenger clearance gates facility so far given only to the Sri Lankans
parallel to the e – passport issuance system to be introduced in the year 2027 also to the foreigners who travel to and from this country.
Furthermore, considering also the number of air passengers rapidly increasing with the fast – forwarding business and tourism field, the appropriateness to increase the total automated passenger clearance gates up to twelve (12) in number has been recognized.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers, approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to initiate the procurement and installation of 12
automated passenger clearance gates altogether with the already approved four (04) and another eight (08) automated passenger clearance gates adhering to the formal procurement procedure
Based on the observations submitted by the Task Force on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing for Terrorism, approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 18.12.2024 to amend the Trust Ordinance No. 9 of 1917 including amendments proposed by the Financial
Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Accordingly, clearance of the Attorney General has been granted for the Trust (Amendment) Draft Bill formulated by the Legal Draftsman.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Justice and National Integration
to publish the said draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby, submit the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Action was taken to provide a fuel relief for the fuel consumers during the months of April, May and June of 2026 to redress by minimizing the impact caused to the day today life of the citizens of this country as well as the entire economy due to the price hike of petroleum fuel in the global market resulting from the war situation in the Middle East.
Government mediation is essential for minimizing the impact on the day to today life of citizens in this country due to that war situation not being ended further. Therefore, it has been planned to redress on the sale price for Auto Diesel and Industrial Diesel for a period of 03 months by the Government to provide relief to the public as well as to maintain the prices at a bearable level to the consumers without escalating the fuel prices in this country compared to the escalation of fuel prices
in the international market.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to
allocate provisions subject to the monthly limitations respectively as rupees 15 billion for the month of October, rupees 13.5 billion for the month of November and rupees 12.15 billion for the month of December to provide the said relief
Cabinet nod to increase the number of new automated passenger clearance gates at the Bandaranayake International Airport to 12
Draft Bill for amending the Trust Ordinance
Implementing further relief programme to Public sffected by the Middle East conflict situation
Establishment of a Spectrum Management and Monitoring System and a Quality of Service and Quality of Experience System for the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka
Appointment of a Committee for the Restitution of Sri Lankan Cultural Heritage Held Abroad
Ten-Year National Action Plan on the Social Protection Sector (2026–2035)
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News7 days agoMastermind Naufer Moulavi among 15 found guilty
-
Midweek Review7 days agoThileepan’s fast unto death: An authentic narrative that many missed
-
Latest News6 days agoShowers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara Districts
-
Editorial7 days agoBig Bad Bills
-
Editorial6 days ago
Crimes punished and unpunished
-
Features5 days agoBeyond traditional jobs: Why Sri Lanka needs to facilitate the gig economy
-
News7 days agoNo referendum needed for passage of 22 A: SC
-
News7 days agoOne clause in Anti-Corruption (Amendment) Bill requires referendu: SC