News
Underworld figure ‘Middeniye Kajja’ and daughter shot dead in contract killing
By Hemanta Randunu
A notorious underworld figure, Aruna Widanagamage alias Middeniye Kajja, and his six-year-old daughter, were shot dead, on Tuesday (18) night, by contract killers at Kadewatta Junction in Middeniya, Tangalle. Initial police investigations indicate that the killing was carried out by a gang operating in the southern region.
Widanagamage’s eight-year-old son was also seriously injured in the attack and is currently receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit of the Embilipitiya Hospital.
Widanagamage was travelling on a motorcycle, with his three children, after dropping off his eldest child at a friend’s house. While heading towards another location, with his remaining two children, two hired gunmen on a motorcycle followed and ambushed them at around 10.15 PM, firing shots from a T-56 assault rifle.
Widanagamage died at the scene, while his six-year-old daughter succumbed to her injuries after being admitted to the Tangalle Hospital. His eight-year-old son remains under intensive care with severe injuries.
Police records indicate that Widanagamage was involved in numerous criminal activities across Tangalle, Middeniya, Karandeniya, Meegahama, and Medamulana, including extortion, contract killings, illegal possession of weapons, and armed robberies. His primary source of income was said to be gambling on ‘buru’, a local card game. Police investigations have revealed that on the night of the attack, he had left his children at a friend’s house and was on his way to a gambling den.
In 2024, he was involved in a robbery in Weeraketiya, where he and his accomplices, armed with weapons, stormed a gambling establishment, terrorised those present, and robbed cash. He had been imprisoned for this crime but was released on bail a few months ago.
Widanagamage, separated from his wife, was living with his three children at the time of his death.
According to police records, he had been implicated in multiple criminal cases, including a 2014 house robbery in Middeniya, an extortion case involving death threats in Embilipitiya in 2019, robbing a jeep in Beliatta and three-wheeler in Weeraketiya. He had also been arrested in possession of a T-56 firearm and 30 live bullets in 2019 and was further accused of robbing a bus and stealing money from gambling establishments in 2021.
No suspects have been arrested in connection with the double homicide of Widanagamage and his daughter. However, five special police teams have been assigned to investigate the case, under the direct supervision of Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) Kithsiri Jayalath and Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Nishantha Soysa in the Southern Province.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
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Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
AKD: Govt. agenda on track despite Ditwah disaster
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Foreign couple held over alleged biopiracy at Horton Plains
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