A ruling party politician has been remanded in custody in connection with the killing of a British tourist at a beach resort in southern Sri Lanka over Christmas, a minister said Thursday. The politician surrendered following a manhunt for those responsible for the Christmas Day killing of Kuram Shaikah Zaman, a British national of Israeli origin, acting Economic Development Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said.
He said eight police teams had been deployed to investigate the killing as well as the wounding of the victim’s Russian companion who was recovering at a hospital in the capital Colombo. “I can assure you that there will be no cover-up and all steps are being taken to ensure justice is done,” Abeywardena said. He said the victims appeared to have tried to intervene to break up a brawl between two local groups when they were stabbed and shot at a beach hotel in the southern town of Tangalle.