Former Hambantota Mayor Eraj Fernando was buried on Sunday at Borella Cemetery following his death earlier this week in Colombo. Fernando, 57, was found deceased inside an apartment on Wednesday, September 2. Initial police investigations pointed to suicide as the cause of death, but a conclusive determination has yet to be made.

A post-mortem examination conducted on Thursday, September 3, by the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) resulted in an open verdict. The JMO requested that samples collected from Fernando’s body be sent to the Government Analyst for further testing to clarify the circumstances surrounding his death.

According to police reports, a man who had been residing with Fernando at the apartment was not present at the time of discovery. This individual had traveled to the Hambantota area the day before and attempted to reach Fernando by phone on the morning of September 2 without success. After failing to make contact, he contacted a woman responsible for cleaning the apartment to inspect the premises. It was during this inspection that Fernando’s body was found.

Eraj Fernando was a noted political figure in Hambantota, having been elected mayor of the Hambantota Municipal Council in 2014 under the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA). He secured re-election in 2018 with backing from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).

Authorities continue to investigate the case as further forensic analysis is pending. No additional details have been released regarding the circumstances leading to Fernando’s death.