The suspect in the rape and assault of a female doctor at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital has confessed to the crime during police interrogation, revealing details of his criminal past.
The suspect, Kiribandage Nilanka Madhuranga Ratnayake, also known as Bunty, is a resident of Elapara, Galnewa. During questioning by Galnewa police officers, he admitted to following the doctor to her official residence before committing the crime.
“I was shot while I was in the army. After being injured, I did not return to the army. Later, I became a monk for a while and then gave up my monastic life. I was arrested for a robbery incident and was remanded and released on bail. It was while I was coming out that I saw this doctor heading to the official residence. That’s when I followed her and committed this crime,” the suspect reportedly told investigators.
The 32-year-old female doctor, employed at the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital, had returned to the specialist doctors’ dormitory around 6:30 p.m. on March 10 after completing her shift. The suspect, who had been watching her, followed her into the residence, brutally raping and assaulting her before fleeing with two of her mobile phones.
The victim, in critical condition, managed to return to the hospital, inform her parents, and was immediately hospitalized.
Following the crime, Senior DIG Buddhika Siriwardena, overseeing the North Central Province, and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Thilina Hewapathirana, in charge of Anuradhapura Division, deployed multiple police teams, along with Special Task Force officers, to track down the suspect.
Investigators analyzed mobile communication data, which indicated that one of the stolen phones was discarded near the Galnewa Aukana railway station. This confirmed the suspect’s presence within the Galnewa police division.
After an extensive search, the suspect was found hiding near a quarry in the Helabadugama area of Galnewa and was arrested yesterday morning.
Authorities have revealed that the suspect has a long history of criminal activity. He had been released on bail for a robbery case on March 10, just hours before committing this crime.
Further investigations have confirmed that he was a former army deserter and a monk. Additionally, police have received information suggesting his involvement in multiple other crimes, and criminal records from police stations across the country have been requested for verification.
The suspect has a tattoo of the word “Amma” on his chest, and CCTV footage further confirmed his identity.
Anuradhapura Chief Magistrate Nalaka Sanjeewa Jayasuriya has ordered Anuradhapura Headquarters Chief Inspector R.M. Jayaweera and Chief Inspector Nishani Seneviratne, head of the Children and Women’s Bureau, to immediately present the suspect before the court.
Additionally, the court has directed the relevant telephone company to provide a full report on the phone calls made and received from the stolen mobile phone.
During the court hearing, Inspector of Police A.C. Dayananda B, representing the Children and Women’s Bureau of the Anuradhapura Headquarters Police, provided detailed reports on the crime. He confirmed that a formal investigation was launched immediately, with a statement recorded from the hospitalized doctor and multiple police teams deployed to capture the suspect.
The suspect is expected to be produced in court shortly as authorities continue their investigations under the supervision of SSP Thilina Hewapathirana, Chief Inspector R.M.K. Jayaweera, and Chief Inspector Nisani Seneviratne.
