• Main suspect surrenders before court  

 By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya and Dinesh Upendra
The body of a youth from Kuliyapitiya, who had gone missing a few days ago while visiting his girlfriend’s house, has been recovered in the Panirendawa area of Madampe, police said.   
Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said the body was found in a forest in the area.   
On April 22, police launched investigations based on information that the youth had gone missing in the Ilukhena area in Kuliyapitiya   
Susita Jayawansha, a resident of the Kaballewa area in Kuliyapitiya, was last seen visiting his girlfriend’s house following a phone call from her father.   
Police revealed that it was later discovered that the youth had been assaulted by his girlfriend’s father and two other individuals identified as masons.   
Accordingly, the two masons who were arrested later confessed to the police that the father of the girl had instructed them to take the youth in question to the house of a former Provincial Council member living in the area.   
Following the incident, it was reported that the main suspect, his wife, the girlfriend of the missing youth, the two sons of the main suspect, as well as the main suspect’s sister and her husband, had left their homes and fled the area.  DIG Thalduwa said that the main suspect in the disappearance of the youth surrendered before court yesterday through his attorneys.   
He said that investigations are underway to determine how the youth was murdered and the individuals involved.