Following the death of prominent Sri Lankan journalist Darshana Handungoda, baseless claims surfaced online that he was killed by the powerful Rajapaksa family that formerly ruled the island nation. The false posts share a fabricated news article, and local media reported Handungoda passed away after receiving treatment for an illness.
"Darshana Handungoda was killed by Rajapaksas," reads the headline of the purported newspaper clipping shared on Facebook on January 12, 2026.
The image mimics the layout of local daily Mawbima, and attributes the remarks to Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Sunil Watagala (archived link).
Watagala has accused the Rajapaksa family of corruption and other crimes, igniting a war of words with the powerful clan, whose members include former presidents Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapaksa (archived here, here, here and here).
"Darshana was a good friend. He had a lot of secrets with him," the supposed report further reads.
The fabricated news clipping appeared in other Facebook posts, and drew comments from users who believed it to be genuine.
"If they killed him, this is your government. Put them in jail," one user commented. Another said: "So enforce the law without whining and crying."
However, various local media reported Handungoda, an outspoken critic of the Rajapaksa family, died of an illness on January 10 (archived here).
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