By C1 Staff
SRI LANKA — Sri Lanka just lost its third hangman, after the man resigned in shock after being shown the gallows for the first time.
According to the BBC, Commissioner-General of Prisons Chandrarathna Pallegama said that the new recruit “got shocked and afraid” after seeing the gallows, which came after several days of training.
The man promptly wrote in his letter of resignation and has not been seen since.
He was the third attempt at hiring an executioner, though Sri Lanka has not carried out a judicial exeuction since 1976. Authorities want to have an executioner on staff in case hangings resume.
There are currently 400 inmates on death row in Sri Lanka.
This latest candidate was selected from 176 applicants; the previous two hangmen quit the position after going on unauthorized leave.