{"id":19529,"date":"2026-06-29T09:13:16","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T09:13:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/srilanka.factcrescendo.com\/english\/?p=19529"},"modified":"2026-06-29T09:13:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T09:13:20","slug":"unrelated-photo-shared-as-jvp-leadership-at-makandure-madushs-funeral","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/srilanka.factcrescendo.com\/english\/unrelated-photo-shared-as-jvp-leadership-at-makandure-madushs-funeral\/","title":{"rendered":"A Recycled 2020 Funeral Photo, Falsely Linking JVP Leaders to Underworld Figure Makandure Madush"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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When politicians get arrested over underworld ties, old photos have a way of resurfacing with new, convenient captions. SJB Horana organizer Charith Abeysinghe and Rakitha Rajapaksa, son of former Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa, were arrested a few days ago on bribery charges linked to organised crime figure \u2018Harak Kata.\u2019 This reignited public debate over links between politics and the underworld. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right on cue, a photograph claiming to show JVP and NPP leaders attending an underworld figure\u2019s funeral began circulating. We traced exactly where these photos actually came from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social Media Posts :<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A photograph showing President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and several JVP\/NPP leaders attending a funeral circulated with the caption: “The leftist political leader who came to pay last respects at Makandure Madush\u2019s funeral.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FB<\/a> | FB<\/a> | FB<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A second photo, also claiming to show President Anura paying his last respects to Madush, circulated separately:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FB<\/a> | Archived<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We investigated whether these photographs genuinely show JVP\/NPP leaders attending Makandure Madush\u2019s funeral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fact-Check :<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First Photo: This Was Actually Tilvin Silva\u2019s Mother\u2019s Funeral<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A reverse image search revealed that the first photograph was taken at the funeral of JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva\u2019s mother. The photo was published in September 2020 on NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake\u2019s official Facebook page, as part of a photo album from that funeral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Facebook \u2014 Original Photo Album (Anura Kumara Dissanayake)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Facebook \u2014 Individual Photograph<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same photograph was also published on JVP\u2019s official Facebook page, as seen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second Photo: A Digitally Edited Version of an Actual Madush\u2019s Funeral Photo<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The original photograph behind the second post appeared in several posts about Madush\u2019s real funeral. But Anura Kumara Dissanayake is not visible in any of those original posts, which can be viewed here<\/a> | Archived<\/a> and here<\/a> | Archived<\/a>. A comparison showing the edit is below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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National People\u2019s Power (NPP) Confirms Leaders Did Not Attend<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NPP\u2019s media unit confirmed to us that party leaders did not attend Madush\u2019s funeral, and that the genuine photograph shows party leaders at the funeral of General Secretary Tilvin Silva\u2019s mother, previously published on their own official social media accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Photo Was Taken a Month Before Madush Was Even Killed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Samarasinghe Arachchilage Madush Lakshitha, alias Makandure Madush, an underworld figure and drug trafficker, was shot and killed while in police custody on 20 October 2020<\/a> in the Maligawatta Applewatta area, exactly one month after Tilvin Silva\u2019s mother\u2019s funeral. Madush\u2019s funeral was held on 21 October 2020<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police stated that Madush was killed in a crossfire with other drug traffickers. Dissatisfied with the ongoing investigation and the lack of arrests, his wife and brother filed complaints, and in March 2026 the Criminal Investigation Department reopened the case<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why This Photo Resurfaced Now<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 25 June 2026, CIABOC arrested SJB Horana organizer Charith Abeysinghe and Rakitha Rajapaksa, son of Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa, on bribery charges linked to underworld figure Nadun Chinthaka Wickramaratne, alias Harak Kata, reigniting public debate about links between politicians and the underworld. Daily Mirror<\/a> | News 1st<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Against this backdrop, the 2020 fabricated photograph appears to have been recirculated to suggest that the ruling JVP\/NPP similarly maintains ties with the underworld.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Conclusion :<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our investigation confirms that the photographs claiming to show JVP leaders at Makandure Madush\u2019s funeral are false and misleading. One photo is a digital edit. The other shows JVP leaders at the funeral of party General Secretary Tilvin Silva\u2019s mother, taken in September 2020, a full month before Madush\u2019s death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n