A 46-year-old woman has been found murdered in the Mahaoya police division, with her body discovered in a forest reserve in the Peragal area, police said.
Police said investigations were launched after a complaint was received on January 24 that the woman had gone to the forest on January 23 to collect wood and failed to return home.
Her body was later found near a stream in the reserve, with cut injuries to the neck area, during a search conducted by residents and relatives.
The victim was identified as a resident of the Watapitiya area. The motive for the killing and the suspect remain unknown.
The body has been sent to the Ampara Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem examination following a magistrate’s inquiry. Mahaoya Police are conducting further investigations. (Newswire)