(COLOMBO) – A 63-year-old Sri Lankan man was on Thursday fighting for his life after he slit his throat in a botched suicide attempt after allegedly murdering his two children, police said.
The horrific incident took place in the Eastern town of Periya Nilaveli in Ampara situated some 345 kilometres from the commercial capital of Colombo.
The suspect is alleged to have hacked his 23-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter to death for unexplained reasons, according to police.
Both children suffered from speech impediments, police said.
The suspect is currently in a critical condition at a Government hospital and remains under police security.
The Indian-Ocean Island has been rocked by a wave of homicides where some 26 people have been killed and more than 20 others injured since the start of this year, according to police.
The bulk of the killings have been carried out by organized crime gangs seeking to settle turf disputes with rivals mainly over the illicit narcotic trade and other criminal related activities.