CCTV footage leads police to arrest suspect

The suspect in the murder of the 23-year-old female student near the Race Course Ground in Colombo 7 was apprehended yesterday at his residence in Wellampitiya, the police said.

The initial police investigations revealed that the murder was the result of a love affair. The female student's body was found near the Race Course ground with deep cut wounds around her neck, following information received by emergency hotline 119.

The victim, a third-year science faculty student at Colombo University, was identified as Chathuri Hansika Mallikaarachchi, a resident of Kiriwaththuduwa in Homagama.

According to the CCTV footage in the area, hours after the murder, a 24-year-old fellow university student who claimed to be the boyfriend of the victim was seen running towards Colombo University, passing the Sports Ministry via Reid Avenue.

Later, the suspect was arrested from his residence in Wellampitiya last evening by the Cinnamon Gardens police. When arresting the suspect, he tried to jump into the river, but his attempt was foiled by the efforts of the police officers.

The suspect was taken to the Cinnamon Gardens police station.

Meanwhile, Police Spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa told the media that the knife that was used to murder the female student was found in the suspect's bag with blood on it.

He stated that the police will take legal action against the suspect. (