The postmortem examination has confirmed that the death of the woman physiotherapist attached to the Ampara District General Hospital, who was found dead under suspicious circumstances in Teldeniya, Kandy, was a homicide caused by strangulation.
The body of the 33-year-old was discovered inside a car parked near the Teldeniya Base Hospital on 17 June. Following suspicions surrounding the death, Police launched a comprehensive investigation. As a result, officers of the Walana Central Anti Vice Striking Force arrested the main suspect, along with his wife and a child, early Wednesday (24). The 43-year-old main suspect — reportedly the victim’s boyfriend — and his 35-year-old wife, residents of Kosgolla, Horombawa, were taken into custody while travelling by bus in Chavakachcheri, Jaffna, during a coordinated operation carried out by the Walana Unit.
Separately, a 49-year-old resident of Rajawella was also arrested by officers of the Nuwara Eliya Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau on charges of providing assistance in concealing the main suspect. Further investigations led to the arrest of a Local Government employee accused of assisting the suspect by providing accommodation and transport after the incident.
Police stated that all suspects were handed over to the Nuwara Eliya Police Station on Wednesday night for further investigations.
Investigations revealed that the victim, a resident of Weligama, had been staying at a hotel in Nuwara Eliya from 3 to 16 June. Closed circuit television camera footage reportedly showing the suspect carrying the victim’s body out of the hotel room had been circulated to the media, prompting further Police inquiries. Following a seven-day manhunt conducted under the instructions of Inspector General of Police, attorney Priyantha Weerasooriya, with technical support from the Criminal Investigation Department, the main suspect was eventually apprehended. During interrogation however, the suspect claimed that when he entered the hotel room, the victim was already found hanging and that he panicked and transported the body to Teldeniya in a vehicle. However, Police said that the postmortem examination has ruled out suicide and confirmed that the victim was strangled. Investigators allege that the suspect, who was known to the victim, transported the body in the vehicle before fleeing. Acting on information gathered through a special investigation, officers tracked the suspect to the Northern Province and arrested him, along with his wife and child, after intercepting a bus in Chavakachcheri. Police said that the suspect was attempting to conceal his identity by wearing a cap, a face mask and a wig, while his wife had also allegedly disguised herself. Investigators believe that the pair was planning to flee to India.
Police also suspect that the main suspect was involved in a large-scale marriage fraud scheme targeting unmarried women. Investigators allege that he deceived several women by promising marriage and obtained substantial sums of money through fraudulent means.