Colombo, Dec 13, (Daily Mirror) - Hemantha Liyanapathirana, a journalist from a private TV channel, has been awarded the Merit Award under the Prof. Kailasapathy Award for Reporting Under Special Circumstances, for his contributions while working for a Sinhala daily newspaper. 

However, Hemantha is currently detained at the Kuruvita Prison in connection with a shooting incident in Talduwa, Avissawella, on September 20.

Police arrested Hemantha and three others, suspecting their involvement in the shooting. 

Hemantha was reportedly arrested for allegedly aiding the criminal Manna Ramesh by sharing information. 

It was reported that during the 24th edition of the Journalism Awards for Excellence held yesterday, no one had come forward to receive the award on Hemantha's behalf. Neither the Sri Lanka Press Institute nor the Editors' Guild, the organizers of the award ceremony, were aware of his imprisonment. Even Hemantha's wife was unaware that he has recieved such an award.

Meanwhile, the police have informed court that the investigations into Hemantha's alleged connections with the underworld figure Manna Ramesh remains incomplete after two and a half months.

Earlier, Hemantha's wife lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), alleging that her husband is being detained by the Avissawella Police. She claims that her lawyers were not given the opportunity to provide legal assistance, and he was produced before courts to obtain detention orders without any proper legal representation.