Race Course murder: Probe reveals boyfriend murdered girl fearing she would love someone else

Initial investigations revealed that a science faculty student of the Colombo University was murdered by her fellow student at the Race Course Ground in Colombo yesterday, fearing that she would love someone else after breaking up the love affair.

The 24-year old suspect, also a science faculty undergrad, believed to be the boyfriend of the 23-year-old fellow undergrad, was arrested  yesterday at his residence in Wellampitiya over the murder.

Investigations revealed that the murder was the result of a love affair. 

The slain young woman had reportedly told her boyfriend to end their relationship about two months ago and it has been brought to light that that the suspect allegedly committed the murder fearing the girl would fall in love with someone instead of him.

The body of the slain girl was found lying near the Race Course ground with deep cut wounds around her neck, following an alert to emergency hotline 119.

Investigations said, once the  lectures were over at the university, both the victim and the suspect met at the Race Course ground where the murder took place.

The victim, a third-year science faculty undergraduate studying at the university of Colombo, was identified as Chathuri Hansika Mallikaarachchi, a resident of Kiriwaththuduwa off Homagama.

According to the CCTV footage, hours after the murder, the suspect was seen running towards Colombo University, passing the Sports Ministry via Reid Avenue.

Later, the suspect was arrested from his residence in Wellampitiya last evening by the Cinnamon Gardens police. When the policemen approached the suspect, he tried to jump into the river, but his attempt was thwarted by the policemen. (Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)