• One of the lady teachers  arrested is a member of the school disciplinary committee

By Dilip Jayasekara   

The principal , the deputy principal and two lady teachers of Thanamalwila National School who had been arrested on Tuesday (13) in connection with the alleged rape of a schoolgirl by 22 school boys were produced before Wellawaya Magistrate and Additional District Judge Chatura A Disanayake and released on personal bail in Rs.200,000 each. The four suspects were ordered to appear in court on August 22.   

One of the lady teachers who had been arrested was a member of the school disciplinary committee.   

During investigations, the police had recorded the statement of Thanamalwila Zonal Director. He stated that he had instructed the principal to inform the incident to police but he and others of the disciplinary committee had neglected his instructions.   

Police had earlier arrested 17 schoolboys involved in the incident and a woman who aided and and abetted it. The woman and three schoolboys have been remanded and other 14 schoolboys were placed under probation in Bandarawela detention centre.  A police team under HQI Thanamalwila police CI D.M.P.Bandara is conducting further investigations on the instructions of SSP Monaragala Division Buddhi Udugamasuriya.