By Roy Denish
A nationwide manhunt is underway after a trusted physiotherapist was allegedly lured into a devastating romance scam, stripped of millions, and found strangled. Police warn that a serial conman accused of targeting professional women across Sri Lanka remains at large and may still be operating under multiple identities.
Police Issue Public Safety Warning
Police have warned residents to remain vigilant for unknown men loitering near their homes and to contact the emergency hotline immediately if they encounter any suspicious person or group.
Caring Physiotherapist Allegedly Trapped by Predator
We are publishing the gripping account of the tragic death of a caring physiotherapist who allegedly fell into the trap of a predator.
Police believe she was later strangled at a guesthouse in Nuwara Eliya before her lifeless body was abandoned inside a car belonging to one of the suspect’s previous alleged victims.
Nationwide Manhunt Underway
A massive, multi-province manhunt is underway across Sri Lanka for a smooth-talking, wig-wearing con artist whose multi-million-rupee trail of broken hearts and drained bank accounts has culminated in a chilling homicide investigation.
Police launched the search following the June 17 discovery of 33-year-old hospital physiotherapist Shamya Darshani.
Her body was found concealed beneath a black cloth inside a locked vehicle parked near Teldeniya Hospital.
Autopsy Turns Missing-Person Inquiry Into Murder Investigation
A preliminary autopsy later determined that Darshani, a staff member at the Ampara District General Hospital, had been strangled to death.
The finding transformed what began as a localised missing-person inquiry into a high-stakes national search for a master manipulator who allegedly weaponised romance for financial gain.
Suspect Allegedly Lived a Double Life
Detectives from the Nuwara Eliya Headquarters Police say the prime suspect is 43-year-old Jayasundara Mudiyanselage Champika Sriyan Jayasundara.
The married father of three from Narammala allegedly lived a double life by systematically targeting single, independent, professional women who lived away from their families.
Fake Identity and Wig Used to Deceive Victims
The balding suspect allegedly posed as a youthful and highly successful software engineer named “Dineth Dissanayake.”
Police say he relied on a high-quality hairpiece to dramatically alter his appearance and conceal his true identity from his targets.
Eight-Month Romance Allegedly Led to Rs.15 Million Loss
Investigators allege that Jayasundara spent eight months courting Darshani and establishing a deep emotional bond with her.
He then allegedly persuaded her to liquidate her savings, obtain several bank loans, and borrow heavily from personal contacts.
Darshani reportedly handed over approximately Rs.15 million under the false belief that the couple would relocate to Canada together.
CCTV Footage Provides Major Breakthrough
The investigation reached a breakthrough when authorities examined closed-circuit television footage from a Nuwara Eliya lodging facility recorded on June 16, the day before the victim’s body was found.
The footage allegedly shows the suspect carrying an unconscious Darshani out of the building and placing her inside a car.
He reportedly told security personnel that his “wife” had suddenly fallen ill and required urgent medical attention.
Vehicle Allegedly Belonged to Another Victim
The suspect then fled the area in a vehicle belonging to another woman from Ampara.
Investigators later discovered that he was allegedly defrauding that woman through an entirely separate romantic deception.
Previous Arrests and Multiple Aliases Uncovered
A deeper examination of National Identity Card databases reportedly revealed that Jayasundara is a career criminal with an extensive record.
He had previously been arrested in November 2023 by Peliyagoda Police and the Fraud Investigation Division.
However, investigators say he obtained bail and later disappeared under new aliases.
Fraud Cases Spread Across the Country
Law enforcement records describe romance scams as the suspect’s primary source of income.
Multiple active and unresolved fraud cases are reportedly pending against him across the country.
In the Gampaha High Court, he is accused of stealing Rs.11.8 million through a fraudulent marriage proposal and the unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
Similar romance-related fraud cases involving more than Rs.3 million are pending before the Hulftsdorp Magistrate’s Courts.
Foreign Employment and Vehicle Import Scams Alleged
The suspect also faces a Rs.4.2 million employment fraud case in Hulftsdorp for allegedly obtaining money by promising foreign jobs.
A separate Rs.2.2 million vehicle import fraud case is pending in Tissamaharama.
The broad geographical reach of the alleged crimes has led the Criminal Investigation Department to conduct parallel inquiries alongside local police in Horana, Padukka, and Kaduwela.
Legal Wife Named as Alleged Co-Conspirator
The investigation has now expanded to include the suspect’s legal wife.
Authorities have named her as an alleged direct co-conspirator facing separate criminal complaints over her suspected role in managing her husband’s foreign employment rackets and marriage-related financial schemes.
Four Police Teams Search Transit Hubs and Hideouts
Four specialised police teams operating under the direct supervision of the Nuwara Eliya Division Senior Superintendent of Police are searching transit hubs, budget hotels, and known hideouts in the suspect’s hometown of Narammala.
Because the fugitive is known to alter his appearance by changing his facial hair or removing his signature wig, police have urged the public to focus on his core facial structure rather than his hairstyle.
Anyone who has encountered the suspect under any name has been asked to contact the police immediately.
