NPP Peliyagoda UC member resigns after husband and son arrested with drugs

National People’s Power (NPP) Peliyagoda Urban Council member Disna Niranjala Kumari has resigned from her position following the arrest of her husband and son yesterday (November 5) in connection with a drug smuggling case in Eppawala.

The NPP confirmed that legal action is being taken against the two individuals, who are currently in police custody. The incident has drawn public attention as it comes at a time when the NPP government has intensified efforts to combat the country’s growing drug problem.

In her resignation statement, Kumari said she was deeply shocked by the situation and decided to step down to allow legal proceedings to take place independently. She also noted that her decision reflects her support for the government’s program to promote clean politics and integrity in public life.

Kumari, who was elected to the Peliyagoda Urban Council at the last local government elections, has submitted her resignation letter to the Gampaha District Returning Officer, while a copy has been sent to the General Secretary of the NPP.

Meanwhile, the Thambuththegama Magistrate’s Court today (November 6) issued a seven-day detention order allowing police to further question Kumari’s husband, who was arrested in Eppawala with heroin yesterday. The court granted permission to the Anuradhapura Division Criminal Investigation Department to detain and question the suspect until November 12, 2025.

He was produced before the Thambuththegama Magistrate’s Court by the Anuradhapura Police today.

According to police, the suspect, who is a school principal in the Eppawala area of Anuradhapura, was arrested during a raid conducted by the Anuradhapura Divisional Crime Investigation Unit.

The operation was carried out based on information provided by a 30-year-old suspect arrested last week in the Nallamudawa Road area.

During the raid, officers discovered 1 kilogram and 185 grams of heroin hidden behind a hotel reportedly owned by the school principal in the Adagala area of Eppawala.

Police also seized an electronic weighing scale and a polythene sealing machine believed to have been used to package the drugs. The equipment had been thrown into a nearby tank in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Investigations have also revealed that the suspect’s wife is a member of the Peliyagoda Urban Council representing the NPP, while their son had been arrested about a month ago for possession of 25 grams of heroin.

The Anuradhapura Divisional Crime Investigation Unit continues further inquiries into the case.