The family of the deceased rugby player Wasim Thajudeen, whose body was exhumed in Colombo a few days ago, suspects that professional jealousy may have been behind the killing of the player.
Fayaz Latiff, maternal uncle of Thajudeen, and the United National Party (UNP)’s candidate for the Galle district, denied reports that his nephew had an affair with a woman and this led to his death. “Had it been so, several photographs must have surfaced in the media by now, portraying them together. But, there is nothing,” he told The Hindu on Tuesday night.
In May 2012, police found the player’s body in charred condition in a car on Park Road in Colombo. The department held earlier that Thajudeen died in a road accident. Late July, the Criminal Investigation Department told a local court in Colombo that it was a case of murder. The court subsequently ordered that the body be exhumed and the order was executed on Monday. The body has been sent for forensic study.
Asked who would have been responsible for his nephew’s killing, Mr. Latiff said he or the player’s family was not suspecting anyone. “Let the investigation bring out the truth.”
On the player’s friendship with sons of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Mr. Latiff said his nephew and Namal and Yoshitha Rajapaksa were college mates and they all played rugby together.
On Sunday, addressing the local media, the former President had denied his family having any involvement in the death of the player.
