Daily NEWS Srilanka

The police carried out investigations about the woman who was found dead a few days back inside a store-room at St. Peter's College, Bambalapitiya  and though an illicit lover of her's and a security officer of the school were taken into custody, it is still a mystery as to who had murdered her.

Certain factors have been found to say that she had been involved in sexual activities prior to her death; but what the illicit lover who was with her and who was taken into custody said was that it was a truth that he had behaved with her in that way, but that he did not murder her. He further stated that after engaging in sexual activity he had asked money from her and had left from there and that when she calling her over the phone she had not responded.

It was 44 year old Chandrika Sumathipala, a mother of 2 children living in Kirullapona area who had died in this manner. She was married to a Tamil nationality and was the mother of two twin girls. Even before marrying, she had maintained an association with the aforesaid person and she was expected to be wedded to him at that time, it is understood. However, for some reason the opportunity had been missed and this man had wedded someone else after this woman had gone for a job in the Middle East.

After returning to the island she too had entered into marriage with another party and the marriage had existed for quite some time. On theother hand this 52 year old person who had been employed as a lorry cleaner had met her from time to time for a period of about 10 years and had maintained relationships as husband and wife, secretly. This clandestine affair had been going on unknown even in the least to her adult children. This person has been resorting to indulge in this activity in secret inside a classroom in this college for quite some time on weekend desolate days when she would come for cleaning duties. This was done by getting friendly with the watcher by palming him a tip as gratification.

On the day in question too he had gained access through the main gate of the school to meet her with the connivance of the said watcher. He had accepted the fact that he had met her and engaged in sexual activity inside a store-room and that she had given him Rs. 300 to buy lunch and had also told him to call her after taking lunch after which he had taken leave of him. However, as she had not responded to any of his calls later a suspicion had developed within him and therefore had assumed that she was no longer at the school premises.

In the meantime, those of Chandrika's home who got upset for Chandrika not returning home that evening had informed the police after which the investigations conducted in that connection it was found that she had been killed inside a store-room in the college. The verbal evidence given by the school watcher turned out to be somewhat suspicious and he had even concealed the fact that a person had come to meet her. He had only said that she had come to attend to cleaning duties and that he could not remember whether she had left the place.

On examining Chandrika's dead body it was found that there were signs that a serious blow had been aimed at her head. Parts of her body are still under examination in that respect. The location of the illicit lover who had given missed calls to her mobile phone was traced easily by the police and after he was arrested he had admitted without any diffidence that he had indulged in sexual activity with the woman, but had no idea as to how she had died.

As the Colombo Medical Judicial Officer had given an open verdict in relation to the incident, those of her household have still not been satisfied with it.

Parts of the deceased's body has been sent to the government analyst and further inquiries are still pending.