By K. Buddhika Kumarasiri- Kaduwela   

 Eight suspects in custody in connection with the alleged  gang rape of a 17-year-old schoolgirl, including her lover, at a  crematorium in Jalthara in Hanwella on the Poson Poya Day were produced  before Homagama Magistrate Pathmasiri Jayawardene yesterday and remanded  till June 28.   

 The suspects remanded were Kankanulage Manuja Sasmika,  Dedimuttuduwa Nanayakkara Maligaspe Koralage Vidura Avishka, Galahitiya  Vidanage Lahiru Dilshan Perera, Walpita Devamunige Nikhila Dulanjana,  Thilanka Wijethunga, Hewamasmulage Lishan Nethmina Abeywardene, Kuragala  Naveen Kosala, Avishka Anaranath Priyadarshana. They were residents of  Ranala in Jalthara in Hanwella.   

 Police had filed action against them on four charges  including unlawful assembly abduction and rape of an underage girl, and  detaining her by force,   When the police informed court that the victim was under  treatment at Homagama Base Hospital, the magistrate postponed the  identification parade and ordered the prison officials to produce the  suspects, excluding the first and the third suspects, in an  identification parade on the next date of the case.   

 IP Sujith Olter and SI Indika of Hanwella Police made  submissions for the state, while Attorneys at Law Sumith Parakrama,  Anuraha Walisinghe and Erandi Kaushalya appeared for the suspects.