Foul play suspected in death of fisherman

By Hiran Priyankara

Relatives of a fisherman, who was allegedly struck by lightning and fell into the sea, are now suspecting foul play, with his wife and family questioning whether his death was truly caused by the storm.

His wife told the media that the police is attempting to cheat us and brush the incident under the carpet.

The victim Laxman Dissanayake (40) was a fisherman from Eechankaduwa in Kandakuliya. He with the owner of the boat and another had on February 25, left for deep sea fishing from Kandakuliya. However, the boat had returned ashore at night on the same day complaining that the boat was hit by lightening and the other fisherman fell into the sea and disappeared.

His wife Hapuarachchige Sylvia who suspects foul play said the boat had marks of gunshots and not any sign of being hit by lightning. She pointed out that the boat would have been burnt if hit by lightening.

She accused Kalpitiya police of attempting to favour the owner of the boat and that the incident would be brushed under the carpet by the investigating officers.

“He has been shot dead and the body dumped in the sea to mislead us. The owner would have had a clash with a group of Indian racketeers over a suspicious deal. They would have shot the boat” she said.

She requested the government to hold a formal investigation of the incident and to bring the real culprits to book.