- GMOA continued islandwide token strike
- Suspect had been released from remand in a separate case on the day of the incident
The suspect, who allegedly sexually assaulted and raped a female doctor at the doctors’ quarters of the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital (TH) on Monday (10) night, has been arrested.
He was arrested by the Galnewa Police yesterday (12), Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala confirmed during yesterday’s Parliamentary session.
The suspect has been identified as a 34-year-old resident of the Galnewa area, the Police said. Meanwhile, reports indicate that the arrested suspect, who had been remanded in custody in connection with a separate case, had only been released on Monday, the day on which the incident in question had occurred. It has also been revealed that he has previously lived as a layperson wearing monastic robes and had also absconded from military service.
The victim, a 32-year-old female doctor, had returned to her quarters at the government-provided dormitory for medical officers after completing her duties on Monday. It was reported that between 6.30 p.m. and 7 p.m., the assailant had allegedly entered the premises, threatened her with a knife, and sexually assaulted and raped her. Following the incident, the suspect had fled the scene, taking one of the female doctor’s two mobile phones with him. Police had launched a search operation based on signals from the remaining phone. However, due to weak signals near the Awukana Railway Station, the Police had intensified their search in the surrounding area. A special team from the Galnewa Police ultimately tracked down and arrested the suspect while he was hiding in Elabadugama of Galnewa.
Meanwhile earlier, the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) launched an islandwide strike yesterday, demanding the immediate arrest of the suspected individual. The token strike began at 8 a.m., and continued for 24 hours until 8 a.m. today (13) as decided by the Executive Committee meeting of the GMOA on Tuesday (11). However, the GMOA has assured that emergency treatment services will remain unaffected. The Association further stated that the strike will not be implemented at children’s hospitals, maternity hospitals, kidney treatment units, the National Institute of Mental Health, or Tri-Forces hospitals, ensuring that critical healthcare services continue uninterrupted.
The GMOA had previously called on the Government to take immediate steps to apprehend the suspect responsible before 8 a.m. yesterday and warned of trade union action if the authorities failed to do so. However, the token strike continued until 8 a.m. today, despite the main suspect of the incident being arrested early yesterday. Speaking to the media yesterday (12), the Secretary of the GMOA Dr. Sugath Sugathadasa confirmed the strike’s continuation after a discussion with the Minister of Health. “We are conducting this token strike from 8 a.m. today until 8 a.m. tomorrow. The strike will conclude tomorrow morning. We, as the GMOA, are resolute in our position that such crimes must not go unchallenged,” he noted. Dr. Sugathadasa also condemned the incident, asserting that the GMOA would not allow such criminal acts to go without consequence. “We condemn this incident, and we will continue to stand firm until justice is served.”
Earlier, doctors and staff at the Anuradhapura TH commenced a strike on Tuesday, demanding the immediate arrest of the individual who allegedly sexually assaulted and raped the female doctor at the Hospital’s dormitory for medical officers on Monday night.
The Ministry of Health has released a statement concerning the alleged sexual assault and rape of a female doctor of the Anuradhapura TH. The statement further mentions that the ministry has been informed that Police investigations are currently underway, with several Police teams having been deployed to arrest the suspect. Meanwhile, a group of officials, led by the Director of Medical Services, has already been dispatched to the Anuradhapura TH to look into the matter, it said.