Dam St. Murder Case: Special Operation conducted in Kelani River

COLOMBO (News 1st): A special operation was conducted in the Kelani river on Thursday (Mar. 04), in order to recover the missing head of the deceased victim discovered at Dam Street in Colombo, Sri Lanka Police said. Further investigations with regard to the female corpse discovered inside a travelling bag left unattended at Gas Works Junction in Dam Street, Colombo on Monday (Mar. 01), are being conducted by Dam Street Police. "Officers of Dam Street Police along with the Police Marine Division, conducted a special operation by using two boats of the Police Marine Division in the Kelani river yesterday (04), in order to trace the missing head of the slain woman," Police Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana told News 1st on Friday (Mar. 05). However, the efforts were futile, the Deputy Police Chief noted. Further elaborating on the investigation, DIG Ajith Rohana said the couple was staying at a guest house in Hanwella, which is located in the vicinity of Kelani river; "Therefore, the investigators suspect that the perpetrator had thrown the head of the victim to the Kelani river along with a bag," he added. According to DIG Ajith Rohana, DNA samples were obtained from the mother and close relatives of the victim on Thursday (Mar. 04), in order conduct a DNA test to re-confirm the identity of the deceased scientifically. The Police Spokesperson also said that investigators are now in possession of the CCTV footage depicting the departure of the perpetrator. "The investigators have found CCTV footage in respect of the departure of the suspect who left Colombo at 4:10 pm from the Pettah bus stand. According to the video footage he had changed his dress, especially the T-shirt and thereafter he had boarded to a bus that was going towards Moneragala from Colombo. The bus had stopped at Pelmadulla for dinner and again the perpetrator had gotten off the bus at Buttala at 11:30 in the night," DIG Ajith Rohana elaborated. Further investigations will continue to recover the head of the deceased, the Deputy Police Chief noted.