Police in Batticaloa have solved the disturbing case of a young mother who was found inside an abandoned well in the Nellikkaadu area, along with the discovery of another unidentified female body in the same location.
The investigation, led by Senior Superintendent of Police Lalith Leelarathne and supported by multiple police divisions and intelligence units, revealed that the incidents were part of a calculated criminal operation involving robbery and attempted murder.
Disappearance and Rescue
The case began last Thursday (19), when a young mother traveling from Vavunativu to Batticaloa town with her two-and-a-half-year-old child was reported missing.
The following day, the woman was found alive after being thrown into an abandoned well. Her child was later discovered the next day (20) in a nearby paddy field, safe but abandoned.
During the rescue operation, authorities also discovered the body of another woman inside the same well, raising suspicions of a more serious criminal pattern.
Arrests and Investigation
Acting on intelligence received by the district intelligence unit, police launched a coordinated investigation, analyzing CCTV footage and conducting field inquiries across several police divisions including Kokkaddicholai, Vavunativu, Aiythiyamalai, Vellaveli, and Batticaloa Headquarters.
On Saturday night (21) around 7:00 PM, officers raided a house in Vantharumoolai and arrested a 26-year-old woman.
Further questioning led to the arrest of her 34-year-old husband and his 22-year-old brother in Vavunativu.
Modus Operandi
According to police findings, the suspects targeted the young mother while she was waiting for a bus with her child. They offered her a ride to Batticaloa town in a three-wheeler for Rs. 100.
After gaining her trust, the female suspect reportedly followed the victim to the town under the pretense of friendship. She then gave the victim a fruit drink laced with a sedative substance, rendering her unconscious.
The suspects then robbed her of approximately five sovereigns of gold jewelry and a gold chain.
They abandoned the child in a paddy field and threw the unconscious mother into the abandoned well before fleeing the scene. The stolen jewelry was later pawned for cash.
Link to Second Victim
During interrogation, the suspects also confessed that the second female body found in the well was another victim of a similar crime.
Police believe the same group had used the identical method—drugging, robbing, and disposing of the victim—to carry out that murder.
Ongoing Investigation
Authorities are continuing further investigations to identify the second victim and determine whether the suspects are linked to additional crimes in the region.
The case has sparked widespread concern over passenger safety and opportunistic crimes targeting vulnerable individuals in rural transport settings.
English (United States) ·