Two weddings at New Magazine Prison

In a true display of humanity and pluralism two marriage ceremonies were held at the New Magazine Prison in Welikada. The two weddings were held where a former LTTE cadre married a Sinhalese girl from his hometown and a person convicted in a drug related incident married a Muslim girl.

A former LTTE cadre Shakthiwel Ilangeshwaran(34) tied the knot with Gunasena Sudarshini(32) a resident of Vavuniya. Ilangeshwaran was convicted for coordinating the assassination attempt on former President Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumarathunga and was sentence to 30 years rigorous imprisonment. Ilangeshwaran has since then made an appeal to the High Court seeking to reduce his sentence. Ilangeshwaran and Sudarshini had been courting for a period of 15 years.

In the other marriage ceremony Balachandran Pushparaja(34) tied the knot with Mohammad Rasik Fathima(23) both resident of Jampata Street, Colombo 13. Balachandran is in prison regarding a drug related conviction. Balachandran and Fathima have been in a relationship for over 10 years. Though both the bridegroom will return behind bars following the ceremony facilitated by the Prisons Authority both newly married couples were in a jovial mood as they spent time with family and friends after the ceremony. Pic by Manjula Charantha, Sanjeewa Lasantha and Osanda Daham Nimsara.