Minister of State for Highways Nimal Lansa today stated that the Kinniya Mayor, who is the brother-in-law of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress MP Imran Maharoof, is responsible for the tragedy in Kinniya which claimed six lives yesterday.

Lansa requested the Governor of the Eastern Province to remove him from office and take disciplinary action against him.

The Minister of State said that the government has not given any permission to start a ferry service in this lagoon and many lives have been lost due to the operation of such a ferry service without permission.

The State Minister said that the ferry service was operated using political authority and that many lives were lost due to the actions of the Mayor.