By: Ovindi Vishmika
July 19, Colombo (LNW): The sudden death of former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Attorney-at-Law C.D. Wickramaratne has sent shockwaves through Sri Lanka’s law enforcement community and the country at large. A police officer who spent nearly four decades in uniform, rose to become the nation’s 35th Inspector General of Police, and played a central role in some of the country’s most sensitive security matters, Wickramaratne’s death has now become the subject of one of the most closely watched investigations in recent years.
While police have repeatedly stated that preliminary investigations point towards a suspected suicide, authorities have also stressed that the final determination will depend on forensic evidence, post-mortem findings, ballistic examinations and reports from the Government Analyst. As investigations continue, a number of unanswered questions, public speculation and controversies have emerged alongside the official inquiry.
The Incident
Former IGP Chandana Deepal Wickramaratne died on the morning of July 17 after sustaining a gunshot wound at his residence on Parakrama Road, Thalahena, within the Malabe Police Division.
According to police investigators, the incident occurred shortly before he was due to leave for his customary morning exercise. Wickramaratne had reportedly come out into the garden and sat on a chair before calling the police officer assigned to his personal security.
Investigators say he requested the officer’s service pistol, reportedly asking whether it was “the new one or the old one.” He then instructed the officer to fetch a bottle of water from inside the house.
Police believe that while the officer was away, Wickramaratne used the weapon to shoot himself in the chest.
Family members immediately rushed him to the Colombo East Base Hospital in Mulleriyawa, where he was pronounced dead on admission.
He was 63 years old.
Immediate Investigation
Given the stature of the deceased as a former head of the Sri Lanka Police, authorities moved swiftly to launch multiple investigations.
The Malabe Police initiated the primary inquiry, while specialised investigative teams from the Western Province South Criminal Investigation Division were also deployed. Inspector General of Police Attorney-at-Law Priyantha Weerasooriya later directed the Western Province South Special Investigation Unit to conduct a parallel inquiry.
Kaduwela Magistrate Aruna Indrajith Buddhadasa visited Wickramaratne’s residence to inspect the scene before ordering Malabe Police to carry out a comprehensive investigation and submit regular progress reports to court.
Meanwhile, Colombo Magistrate Kasun Kanchana Dasanayake instructed the Judicial Medical Officer to conduct a post-mortem examination and submit findings to the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court.
Police have since taken into custody:
•The pistol allegedly used in the shooting
•The former IGP’s mobile phone
•Ammunition connected to the incident
All items have been sent or are scheduled to be sent for forensic examination by the Government Analyst.
Investigators are also analysing CCTV footage, digital evidence and telephone records while recording statements from family members and the three police officers assigned to Wickramaratne’s security.
An Open Verdict
Although police initially described the death as a suspected suicide, the post-mortem examination did not conclusively determine the manner of death.Instead, an open verdict was issued pending additional forensic examinations.
Authorities have repeatedly emphasised that the final verdict will only be delivered after receiving:
•Government Analyst reports
•Ballistic examinations
•Forensic analysis of the firearm
•Mobile phone examinations
•Additional investigative findings
This has meant that, officially, the investigation remains open.
Personal Difficulties Under Scrutiny
Investigators are also examining whether personal issues may have contributed to Wickramaratne’s state of mind before his death.
Police sources indicate they are looking into family-related disputes that had reportedly caused him considerable distress.
Among the matters under investigation is an ongoing domestic dispute involving his son’s family. According to investigators, Wickramaratne’s daughter-in-law had filed for divorce alleging extramarital affairs involving her husband and had also lodged a complaint with the Police Children and Women Bureau alleging domestic violence.
Police sources claim Wickramaratne had expressed frustration over the manner in which the bureau handled the complaint involving his family despite his own decades of service within the institution.
Investigators are attempting to determine whether these developments had any bearing on the events leading up to his death.
Authorities have, however, not identified any definitive motive, and these matters remain part of an ongoing investigation.
The Controversies
Despite police describing the case as a suspected suicide, several aspects of the investigation have generated widespread public discussion.
Questions over the weapon
One of the first questions raised was how the former IGP came to possess the firearm. Police say the pistol belonged to his personal security officer, who handed it over after Wickramaratne requested it under the pretext of checking whether it was an old or new weapon.
Investigators are examining whether established security protocols governing weapons assigned to protection officers were followed.
Why not the CID?
Perhaps the biggest controversy has been the decision not to immediately assign the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate the death.
Instead, responsibility was initially placed with the Malabe Police and the Western Province South Criminal Investigation Division.
The decision drew attention because Wickramaratne remained connected to several nationally significant investigations. Police officials later explained that if evidence emerged requiring a different investigative approach, the Inspector General of Police would determine whether another specialised unit including the CID should assume responsibility.
A key witness in major national investigations
Another factor contributing to public interest is Wickramaratne’s continuing involvement in several high-profile legal and criminal matters.
He had previously testified before both the Presidential Commission of Inquiry and the Parliamentary Select Committee investigating the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks.
He was also reported to be the complainant in the widely discussed “floating firearms” case.
Because of these roles, some observers questioned whether a broader investigation should immediately have been undertaken, although police have stated that no evidence has emerged to indicate criminal involvement by another party.
Transparency and public confidence
The death of a former Inspector General of Police naturally placed investigators under intense public scrutiny.
Recognising the sensitivity of the case, police have repeatedly stated that investigations would continue until every forensic avenue has been exhausted.
The appointment of specialised investigative teams has been viewed as an effort to ensure impartiality and preserve public confidence.
A Distinguished Career
Born on March 26, 1963, Chandana Deepal Wickramaratne joined the Sri Lanka Police in June 1986 as a Probationary Assistant Superintendent of Police.
Over a career spanning nearly 37 years, he held numerous senior appointments, eventually serving as Senior Deputy Inspector General in charge of the Southern Province.
Following the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks in April 2019, he was appointed Acting Inspector General of Police, a position he held for more than a year before being confirmed as the country’s 35th Inspector General of Police in November 2020.
He remained Police Chief until his retirement in November 2023.
A former student of Ananda College, he was a graduate of the University of Colombo and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University.
Throughout his career he was regarded as an experienced investigator and administrator, although his tenure also coincided with one of the most politically and institutionally challenging periods in Sri Lanka’s policing history.
Final Farewell
Following the post-mortem examination, Wickramaratne’s remains were released to his family.
Police later announced that, despite the investigation remaining open, his funeral would be conducted with full police honours.
His remains lay in state at a private funeral parlour before the final rites were held at the Borella General Cemetery.
An Investigation Still Unfinished
Nearly every major question surrounding the death of former IGP C.D. Wickramaratne now rests on forensic evidence yet to be completed.
Authorities continue to examine ballistic reports, mobile phone data, CCTV footage and Government Analyst findings before reaching a final conclusion.
For now, police maintain that preliminary evidence indicates a suspected suicide. However, the open verdict and continuing investigations underscore that the official determination has not yet been made.
The death of one of Sri Lanka’s most senior police officers has therefore become more than a personal tragedy. It has evolved into a case that tests public confidence in investigative transparency, institutional accountability and the ability of the justice system to establish the truth without speculation.
Until the final forensic reports are submitted to court, many of the questions surrounding C.D. Wickramaratne’s final moments remain unanswered.