Police officers who were there... could defend this incident but they didn't do that. They were very afraid [of] higher authorities

Victim's uncle KK Thilakaratne

There have been warnings from several quarters, including the country's influential Buddhist clergy, of a possible rise in violence before the polls are held.

The funeral of the other murdered opposition activist, a member of the Marxist JVP, was held in Colombo. Chammika Sudantha Silva was a member of the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (People's Liberation Front).

His party say that he died because he was attacked on Saturday by supporters of the ruling Peoples' Alliance.

However the government has denied that its supporters were responsible.

Blame

Mr Silva's family say that he and four other JVP members were attacked by armed government supporters dressed in plain clothes.

There are widespeard fears of election violence

The family say Mr Silva died following a severe beating to the head with a rifle butt.

The other four are in hospital receiving treatment.

Mr Silva's uncle, KK Thilakaratne, told the BBC that the police witnessed the attack but did nothing to intervene.

"Police officers who were there at that time, they could defend this incident but they didn't do that," Mr Thilakaratne said.

"They were very afraid [of] higher authorities," he said.

Violence

The government has accused the JVP of trying to undermine and smear their election campaign by alleging that the attack was carried out with the tacit support of at least one senior minister.

The BBC's Alastair Lawson in Colombo says the attacks have taken place even though President Chandrika Kumaratunga and opposition leader Ranil Wickremasinghe have called for campaigning to be free and peaceful.