[2] Later he became a sensation among the public with several blockbuster movies, where he won the award for the Most Popular Actor from 1983 to 1988 in multiple events.

In 1978, Kumaratunga married Chandrika Bandaranaike and later joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and became its first national organizer.

[4] After the 1982 presidential campaign of Hector Kobbekaduwa, Kumaratunga was accused of being a Naxalite and jailed under the emergency regulations of President J. R. Jayewardene, but was never charged.

[6] In 1965, Marxist–Leninist politician Rohana Wijeweera founded the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and initiated several revolutionary steps towards the government and civilians.

In 1971, the JVP conducted a failed insurrection, and launched an open revolt against the government of Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

Wijeweera and the other major leaders of the insurgency were sentenced to prison as a result and the JVP was banned as a political party.

On 15 December 1986, the JVP abducted and murdered Daya Pathirana, leader of the Independent Students' Union (ISU) of the University of Colombo.

During this period, Kumaratunga was in support of the peace agreement signed between India and Sri Lanka and heavily criticized the armed rebellion led by the JVP.

[7] Nevertheless, due to his support of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, the Deshapremi Janatha Viyaparaya (the de facto military branch of the JVP) chose to take quick actions against Kumaratunga and eventually planned to assassinate Kumaratunga.The DJV was a vehemently anti-Indian organisation and was considered the de facto military branch of the JVP.

The main reason was his support for the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) and the Provincial Councils that came in its wake.

The decision to assassinate Kumaratunga had been planned by Colombo District Secretary Lalith Wijeratne (alias Jayantha) since 1980.

Kumaratunga participated in the Puttalam District Conference of the Sri Lanka Mahajana Party in Chilaw and returned home at around 11:30 AM.

Kumaratunga was then seen talking to several people under a mango tree in front of his house at Kirulapone Thalakotuwa Estate.

[13][16] After the autopsy, Chief Judicial Medical Officer of the Colombo General Hospital, Dr. M. S. L. Salgado stated that Kumaratunga's death had occurred due to injuries to the neck and head.

Sarath Upali, the Assistant Secretary of the Ragama Branch of the Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya and painter was also shot and wounded at the time of the assassination.

[12] Dayaratne, Kumaratunga's driver, got into a double cab parked in the backyard with the intention of chasing the killers, but ultimately changed his mind after the assassins attempted to fire at him.

Dayaratne and Lalith had just escaped from the Kirulapone cemetery as they chased the killers along Siebel Avenue on Polhengoda Road.

As soon as Lalith lodged a complaint with the Kirulapone Police, investigations into Kumaratunga's assassination was launched by a team led by Inspector Nandana Wijeratne, then the OIC of the CID.

[14] While investigations were being carried out on Kumaratunga's killer, Inspector Nandana Wijeratne had received information from one of his private spies.

[13] Following the assassination, the Patriotic People's Movement, claimed responsibility in a statement and distributed a pamphlet on 21 February 1988 entitled 'Why Vijaya Kumaratunga was sent?'.

[12][18] On March 14, 1989, CDB constables Basil and Dias spotted a person on Bullers Road, resembling the man in the sketch.

Minister Ranjan Wijeratne visited Gamini who was being held at a Slave Island Police cell more than 20 times during the period.

[19][14] He was later brought to the Homagama Police Station, was taken out in a Land Cruiser jeep on October 3, 1989, at 7 pm and later killed in a jungle area in Padukka at around 1 am the next morning.

[22] Makeup artist Ebert Wijesinghe portrayed Kumaratunga's body in a very close-knit manner, but his wife Chandrika believed that his face should not be shown to the people.

[20] After several investigations, the Presidential Commission report had concluded that President Premadasa, Gamini Lokuge and Deputy Minister of Defence Ranjan Wijeratne should be behind the assassination, but no prosecutions took place.

[26][27] Subsequently, a case was filed against Assistant Superintendent of Police Chandra Wakishta and the then Director of the CID, Chandrasena Jayawardena.

Lionel's father Thegiris was born on April 19, 1930, in Palamure, Kegalle and ran a lime shop in front of the Kuruwita police station.

Lionel and his brother Sunil went to sell peas near a liquor store in Horana, giving a boost to their livelihood and occasionally went to work for hire.

[12] At the age of 16 while studying for A/L, he attended JVP political classes in 1978 under the guidance of Jayasiri, a senior student of the school.

On April 2, 1981, Lionel served as a Red Troop to receive Rohana Wijeweera at the Kalutara Town Hall.