Two individuals, including a Police Constable, have been arrested for aiding suspended Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon to evade arrest.

According to the Police Media Spokesman, the suspects had aided Tennakoon to evade the Police from 27 February to 19 March.

The arrested Police Constable is attached to the Special Protection Division, while the other individual is a resident of Thalawathugoda.

Deshabandu Tennakoon was wanted in connection with the shooting incident in front of a prominent hotel in Weligama in 2023.

He is accused of orchestrating the shooting involving officers from the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), Weligama Police, and the Special Task Force, which resulted in the death of a CCD officer and injuries to another.

After an open warrant was issued to arrest Deshabandu Tennakoon, he surrendered before the Matara Magistrate’s Court after evading arrest for 20 days.

He has been remanded until 03 April 2025 and is currently being held at the Dumbara Prison in Kandy.

Referring to the recent sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom on top Sri Lankan military officials, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, who played a significant role in the country’s civil war, stated that the sanction against former Army Commander Shavendra Silva was unreasonable.

Sri Lanka has experienced a significant surge in HIV/AIDS cases in 2024 recording over 800 cases. According to the National STD/AIDS Control Programme, Sri Lanka has logged 824 cases reflecting a 18 per cent increase compared to the year 2023, which saw 694 cases.

A direct flight service between Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu and Jaffna in Sri Lanka commenced today after 47 years. Due to the war situation, flight services at the Palaly International Airport, Jaffna were suspended, but in 2019, the airport resumed its services. Passenger flights between Chennai and Jaffna started after the reopening of the airport.

In a swift response to an urgent appeal, the Court of Appeal today issued an interim order suspending the decision made by the Puttalam High Court Judge to remand a lady lawyer over an alleged contemptuous conduct.

Former Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles has arrived at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to record a statement. According to reports, the former minister arrived at the CID to record a statement regarding the shooting incident in front of a prominent hotel in Weligama in 2023.

The draft bill for the government’s recovery of assets acquired through illegal means, the Proceeds of Crime Bill, will be presented to Parliament on 08 April 2025, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said. Addressing a public meeting in the Welipitiya area in Matara, President Dissanayake said that frauds and the corrupt will not be allowed to rule the country again.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has stated that efforts are underway to reveal those responsible for the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks before April 21.

The government is considering repurposing a number of ministerial bungalows, including offering some to diplomatic missions, Lankadeepa newspaper reported.

Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra are expected to travel to Thailand later this week to attend the sixth BIMSTEC Summit, The Sunday Times newspaper reports.

Former Public Security Minister Tiran Alles has been summoned to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to record a statement regarding the death of a police sergeant from the Colombo Crimes Division during a shooting incident near a hotel in Weligama, Matara in 2023.

Kuwait has deported 20 convicted Sri Lankan prisoners under an extradition agreement between the two countries, according to media reports. The inmates, held at Kuwait's Central Prison, were repatriated on Wednesday to Katunayake Airport on a special flight to Sri Lanka, reported the Sri Lankan Daily News.

A suspect has been arrested over the assault on a senior consultant Oral and Maxillofacial (OMF) surgeon at the General Hospital (Teaching) Kegalle. The consultant was brutally assaulted within the hospital premises on March 28.

A number of MoUs (Memoranda of Understanding) related to defence, energy connectivity and digitization will be signed during the upcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Sri Lanka, an official said yesterday.

Two Supreme Court judges have recused themselves from hearing an appeal filed relating to former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda.

The Examinations Department announced that they have not issued any official statement regarding the release of the results of the 2024 G.C.E. (A/L) Examination which were held from November 25 to December 31, 2024. Examinations Commissioner General H.J.M.C. Amit Jayasundara urged the public not to be misled by news circulating in various print and social media.

The National People’s Power (NPP), the ruling party of Sri Lanka, filed three separate writ petitions challenging the rejection of their nomination papers submitted for the Mawanella Pradeshiya Sabha, Medawachchiya Pradeshiya Sabha, and Damana Pradeshiya Sabha for the Local Authorities Election 2025.

A strong 8.2 magnitude earthquake has hit Myanmar and Thailand, with a state of emergency declared and fears of mass casualties after tremors shook high-rise buildings and destroyed apartment blocks.

The third chairman of an institution under the purview of Minister of Transport and Highways Bimal Rathnayaka has resigned. Accordingly, the Chairman of the National Transport Commission (NTC), Dileepa Vitarana, has stepped down from his position. It is reported that he has submitted the relevant resignation letter to the Transport Ministry.

Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will undertake a State visit to Sri Lanka from April 4 to 6, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism said. During the visit, Prime Minister Modi is set to hold bilateral talks with President Anura Kumara Disanayaka and Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

Banks have started notifying customers that the Withholding Tax (WHT) on interest earned from deposits will increase to 10% with effect from April 1, 2025. The change is being implemented under the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act, No. 02 of 2025, which was passed earlier.