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Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa described the assassination of the TNA MP Nadarajah Raviraj in Colombo on Friday as a "cowardly and heinous" act.

A statement from the President's media unit said that Rajapaksa had asked the Inspector General of Police Victor Perera to initiate "a thorough, comprehensive and speedy inquiry" into the "cowardly and heinous act" and submit the first report to him by evening.

The President said whoever it was who had killed Raviraj was opposed to "dissent and political pluralism". 

He described the Tamil MP as an "outspoken" person with whom he had "very cordial" relations.