Suspect arrested in schoolgirl rape case

Shirley Wijesinghe

Eheliyagoda Police arrested a suspect aged 22 who is alleged to have raped and killed Piumi Madushanka Jayasinghe, 15, a student of Ellawela Maha Vidyalaya, Eheliyagoda.

The suspect from Pitakanda was arrested by Police after receiving information from a relative of the schoolgirl.

The suspect had confessed to police that he met the student while walking along the Eheliyagoda- Pitakanda Road.

According to the suspect’s statement, the girl was dragged into the jungle and was hit on the head with a stone. She lost consciousness and raped later. Police believe that the girl was strangled to death and thrown down a precipice.

Further investigations are being conducted by Eheliyagoda Police OIC P. Weerasekera. Two suspects earlier taken into custody in connection with the case, have been released.