An unidentified gunman kills an opposition politician in a Sri Lankan town

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — An unidentified gunman fatally shot an opposition Sri Lankan politician at his office Wednesday, making him the first politician killed in a spate of shootings that have gripped the island nation in recent months.

Lasantha Wickramasekara, the head of the council of the coastal town of Weligama, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) south of the capital Colombo, was attending to his official work when the gunman entered the office building and opened fire using a pistol, police said in a statement.

Police said the assailant fled the scene after the shooting and that Wickramasekara succumbed to his injuries after being admitted to the hospital.

Police did not reveal a motive for the shooting and said an investigation is underway to identify the suspect.

The 38-year-old Wickramasekara was elected to the council from the opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya party which won a crucial contest over control of the council with the ruling party.

A wave of crimes, especially shootings, has spiked in recent months in many parts of Sri Lanka, mainly due to gang rivalries over the distribution of drugs.

According to official figures, 100 shooting incidents have occurred in Sri Lanka so far this year, leaving 51 people dead and another 56 wounded. Wickramasekara is considered the first politician to be killed in this new surge of violence.

The government has pledged to strictly implement law and order and to crack down on gangs. Police have so far arrested dozens of suspected gang leaders and notorious criminals.

Some of the alleged gang leaders have been hiding in countries like Dubai, Indonesia, India and Nepal. Sri Lankan police in collaboration with law enforcement agencies in those countries have arrested more than a dozen suspected ring leaders and brought them back to Sri Lanka in recent months.