20 Facts About Lalith Wijerathna

Vijalath Pathirannehelage Lalith Wijeratne, popularly as Lalith Wijerathna, was a Sri Lankan politician and militant leader.

Lalith Wijerathna was known to be appointed as the third leader of the JVP after Rohana Wijeweera and Saman Piyasiri Fernando.

Lalith Wijerathna's father Vijalath Pathirannahelage Piyasena was born on 25 December 1924.

Lalith Wijerathna's mother Kaluarachchige Rosalyn Nona was born on 18 December 1928 in Kehelle.

Lalith Wijerathna's father worked as a farmer his mother made matchsticks for the Maltune Match Factory at the Thambakar Trade Center in Divulapitiya and sold them to the factory.

Lalith Wijerathna had his primary Education from Hapugahagama Junior College.

Lalith Wijerathna's studentship was revoked after a decision from the Udulagama Commission abolished his studentship forever which was set up to probe student agitations at the University of Peradeniya in 1983.

Younger brother Ranjith Lalith Wijerathna worked as a Line Operator at the Vivian Mills Garment Factory in Kapuwatta.

Lalith Wijerathna was killed in Colombo on November 21,1989 after being arrested by the police.

Lalith Wijerathna joined the JVP in 1978 after school through his mother's brother Rassapanage Jayasinghe, an English teacher at Hunumulla Maha Vidyalaya in Kehelella, Divulapitiya.

Lalith Wijerathna started his political career as a student activist of Socialist Student Union, the student wing of the JVP.

In 1982, when the JVP's leader Rohana Wijeweera contested the presidential election, Lalith Wijerathna supported his campaign.

Lalith Wijerathna was elected to the Political Bureau in 1988 from the National Committee of the JVP Socialist Students Union through the Central Committee.

Lalith Wijerathna, who was the General Secretary of the Socialist Students' Union, was arrested by the Divulapitiya Police in early 1983 and the Meetiyagoda Police on May 31,1987.

Lalith Wijerathna last came home in August 1987 in a 14 Sri Lancer wagon.

In mid 1989, after the killing of Sumith Athukorala, a prominent politbureau member of the JVP, Lalith Wijerathna was believed to be promoted to the political bureau to fill up the vacant position.

Lalith Wijerathna was the political and military leader of the Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura and Trincomalee districts in the North Central region during the Second JVP insurrection.

Lalith Wijerathna served as the leader of the JVP for just six days.

Lalith Wijerathna was later taken to the Kuruwita Army camp where he confessed that he was Lalith Wijeratne after being tortured.

Two days later, on the morning of January 3,1990, Lalith Wijerathna was tortured into not being able to eat food.