‘The Unseen Side of the Daya Pathirana Murder’ book launched

At the book launch  

Senior journalist Dharman Wickremaratne’s latest Sinhala book, ‘The Unseen Side of the Daya Pathirana Murder’ was launched on January 21 at the National Library and Documentation Services Board Auditorium, Colombo 7. 

The book unveils the surroundings of the first recorded murder within Sri Lanka’s student movement during the second JVP insurrection, focusing on the killing of Daya Pathirana, the leader of the Independent Student Union of the University of Colombo. It documents the murder and the surrounding events in detail, naming individuals involved and placing the incident within its broader political and social context. 

The launch ceremony was chaired by President’s Counsel Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe. Speeches were be delivered by leading politician Patali Champika Ranawaka, who is a former student leader of the University of Moratuwa; Professor Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri, a former active member of the Independent Student Union; and Gevindu Kumaratunga, a former student leader of the University of Colombo. The event was moderated by Montegu Sarathchandra. 

The publication consists of 392 pages and includes over 100 photographs. This is Dharman Wickremaratne’s fifth book dealing with the second JVP insurrection and his 56th book overall. The second JVP insurrection, which lasted from 1986 to 1990, has been the subject of several of Wickremaratne’s earlier publications, including ‘Ginnen Upan Gini Pupuru’, ‘Satanin Satana’, ‘Comrade Lionel’, and ‘Premakeerthi Ghathane Sulamula’.