COLOMBO: A 29-year-old man, father of three children has been arrested on suspicion of the death of the little girl who went missing from Atulugama area on Friday May 27.
The suspect is reportedly a resident of the Atulugama area in Bandaragama and is also related to the deceased.
Her funeral took place in the evening on Monday in the midst of a large gathering at Muslim Burial Grounds on Atulugama. Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Rauf Hakeem and Leader of Sri Lanka Makkal Congress Rishad Bathiudeen visited the family of the deceased to convey their condolences on behalf of the community.
The body of the nine-year-old girl, Fatima Ayesha, who was reported missing from Atulugama area in Bandaragama since Friday morning, was found in a swamp close to her home on Saturday evening May 28.
She had reportedly left her home to go to a nearby shop on Friday morning and had not returned home.
Following a complaint lodged by the girl’s parents with the police, a search operation was launched and CCTV footage was found showing the girl entering and leaving the shop.
Meanwhile, the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has launched a special investigation separately into the death.
Sri Lankan court has granted Police permission to detain and interrogate for two days the main suspects in the murder of a nine-year-old girl from Atalugama, Bandaragama.
Police Spokesperson Attorney-at-Law & SSP Nihal Thalduwa told News 1st that the victim was NOT subject to any sexual abuse.
Three Judicial Medical Officers conducted the post-mortem as per the order by the court, said the Police Spokesperson.
