The suspect who had been caught and handed over to the Fort police station has claimed that he was only attempting to save the 7 year old girl-child from slipping and falling down the stairs at the Galle Face two days ago.

This was made know by the Fort Police Officer in Charge today (25).

"We have questioned the suspect and he claimed that he was only attempting to save the child from falling down the stairs, whereas the parents have filed an entry stating otherwise. The father had seen the man trying to grab the child, and had shouted out for help. People in the area have gathered and captured this individual and handed him over to the police," said the OIC.

He further noted that the 32 year old individual was intensively questioned and is due to be produced in court.

"The mother of the child had been distracted for a short while, and the father was at a distance as well. The girl child was playing with her brother when this incident happened," he noted.

Additionally, posts have been circulating on social media regarding child abductions around the island for human sacrifices in certain ethnic groups, and this particular incident has been mentioned. The Morning asked the OIC if this was related to any such activities.

"No, there is nothing of that sort and this incident, from our preliminary understanding, is not related to other cases. This can be an attempted abduction, or even a genuine misunderstanding.That is up to the courts to determine. But, from the police inquiry level, I can state that this was not for any sort of human sacrifice,"the OIC concluded.

The suspect, a resident of Blair Lomond Estate, Udapussellawa, works as a trishaw driver in Colombo is currently living in a rented room in Boralesgamuwa.