Sri Lankan president's brother dies after axe attack

The youngest brother of Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena, on Saturday succumbed to injuries he sustained in an axe attack earlier this week.

Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said that Priyantha Sirisena, 40, was in critical condition after the attack on Thursday night and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital where he succumbed to his injuries on Saturday morning, the Colombo Gazette reported. .

Lakmal, who attacked Priyantha Sirisena over a personal dispute in his home town of Pollonaruwa, was arrested after he surrendered to the police.

Sirisena was initially admitted to the Pollonaruwa hospital but was later airlifted to Colombo.