A brother of Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has died in hospital after being attacked with an axe on Thursday, police were quoted by The BBC on Saturday.
Priyantha Sirisena suffered severe head injuries in his hometown of Polonnaruwa, north-east of the capital Colombo.
The president is out of the country on a state visit to China.
His youngest brother, a businessman and father of three, was attacked on Thursday evening "during an altercation with a friend" said a government statement.
He was flown to Colombo to be treated for head injuries but despite surgery he died on Saturday, said doctors.