The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna accuses Priyantha Sirisena, a sibling of President Maithripala Sirsena, of conducting illegal sand mining in the Polonnaruwa distict.

Speaking to Asian Mirror, Polonnaruwa District Leader of the JVP P.B. Sarath said although the President had banned sand mining in the area, his brother was secretly carrying out his "operations".

He said there was a possibility that the President was not aware of this development. The JVP spokesman said sand mining was carried out in Welikanda, Manampaitiya. "Lorries transporting sand", he said, "were moving in and out of the area every morning"

When contacted by Asian Mirror, Priyantha Sirisena flatly denied allegations and said he had nothing to do with illegal sand mining in the Manampitiya area.

The President’s brother, who is known as ‘Weli Raju’, is known to be a businessman who is engaged in sand mining - a business that is done under strict legal observation in Sri Lanka.  Two and a half years ago, he was arrested by Police for assaulting a wild life officer and damaging the properties of Wild Life Department’s office in Manampitiya.

Commenting on this move at that point, Maithripala Sirisena, who was then the Health Minister said, he was ashamed to call Priyantha Sirisena his sibling and he himself urged the police to take action against his brother.

“If I did not act against my brother, he would not be taken into custody. I don’t sympathise with anyone who has done wrong, and that is why I am in Parliament for the last 24 years,” Sirisena told media.