A petition carrying 40,000 signatures calling for expedited justice in unresolved child abuse complaints was handed over in Parliament today (09) to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and Members of Parliament of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) by Thush Wickramanayake and her team.

On this occasion, SJB MPs including Chamindrani Kiriella and Rohini Kavirathna, along with several other parliamentarians representing both the SJB and the Samagi Jana Sandhanaya, also signed the petition. 

The #40000 group had earlier met Premadasa at the Opposition Leader’s Office to brief him on the campaign.

Meanwhile, addressing Parliament today (09) under Standing Order 27(2), Premadasa said Sri Lanka is bound by both domestic legal obligations and international commitments to safeguard children’s rights, but serious inefficiencies in the child protection system, unresolved complaints, and delayed judicial processes have placed children’s fundamental rights at grave risk.

He noted that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has not been enacted as a single law, and the juvenile justice amendment bill has not been implemented, leaving major gaps in protection. 

Premadasa called for data on child abuse complaints received by the National Child Protection Authority between 2015 and June 2026, how many were investigated and referred for legal action, and how many remain unresolved. He also requested figures on cases currently before High Courts, indictments filed in the past five years, between five and ten years, and more than ten years ago, along with government measures to expedite proceedings.

He pressed the government to establish a special police unit to investigate delayed child abuse complaints, as promised by the President during his London visit. Premadasa further emphasized the need to establish three key demands presented by Thush Wickramanayake; which are a special investigation unit, a Presidential task force for children, and strengthening the independence of the National Child Protection Authority.

He further urged the government to fully implement the National Child Protection Act, appoint a committee to enforce the National Child Protection Policy 2025–2029, and specify dates for abolishing corporal punishment of children through legal reforms.

Premadasa added that the current situation must be recognized as a national child protection crisis, calling for a coordinated national action plan under the President’s leadership. He appealed to all MPs, including government ministers, to sign the public petition seeking justice for child victims, noting that a majority of the Opposition has already endorsed it. (Newswire)

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The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has instructed relevant authorities to ensure that all ongoing investigations into the Anuradhapura child abuse case are conducted strictly in line with court orders, while also calling for forensic and medical reports to be obtained without delay. 

The Caucus further directed the National Child Protection Authority to monitor proceedings in Anuradhapura, Attanagalla, and Dambulla courts, and urged measures to minimize repeated trauma experienced by the victim due to multiple hearings.

The meeting, held in Parliament recently (05) and chaired by Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj, brought together officials from the Attorney General’s Department, the National Child Protection Authority, the Department of Probation and Child Care Services, and the Sri Lanka Police.

During discussions, the Attorney General’s Department agreed to appear before the Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Court to strengthen judicial processes and improve coordination among institutions. 

The Department of Probation and Child Care Services was also tasked with continuing to safeguard the girl’s education, health, and safety.

The Caucus emphasized the need for effective coordination among law enforcement agencies handling child abuse cases and agreed to intervene where necessary. 

It also decided to develop guidelines for media reporting and judicial proceedings to protect the privacy, security, and dignity of child victims. 

A subcommittee under the Caucus will oversee this process and address legal and practical challenges in child abuse litigation. (Newswire)

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A collective statement has called for a fair and independent investigation into the serious abuse allegations against Anuradhapura Atamasthanadhipathi Pallegama Hemarathana Thera, stressing that the upcoming hearing on May 22 is not merely about one individual but a test of whether Sri Lanka’s law applies equally to the powerful and the powerless.

The statement highlights that according to information shared by the girl, she is alleged to have faced abuse from a very young age, a grave crime against a child and a moral failure of institutions meant to protect her.

It notes the stark imbalance of power between a highly influential religious figure and a vulnerable girl from a disadvantaged background, raising concerns about whether justice can be enforced without bias.

Public concern has intensified due to reports that police were reluctant to carry out the arrest order and that the suspect was kept in a private hospital even after arrest, creating perceptions of unequal treatment. 

The statement stresses that this outcry stems from genuine fears that power, status, and institutional influence may interfere with the enforcement of the law.

It insists that no one should stand above the law, whether priest or layperson, and cites recent cases, including the Supreme Court ruling against a university professor found guilty of sexual abuse, as examples of the barriers victims face when challenging entrenched systems of power.

The demands outlined include:

• Independent Investigation free from political, religious, or institutional influence.
• Immediate Protection — legal, psychological, and social support for the girl.
• Justice Over Power — a legal process driven by truth and fairness rather than status.

The statement concludes that the government, which came to power promising safety and dignity for women and children, must now prove those promises were genuine by ensuring equal enforcement of the law. (Newswire)

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Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj said her ministry and relevant agencies had taken all necessary steps to ensure the safety and protection of the girl who was allegedly sexually abused in Anuradhapura. 

She rejected claims that the child lacked legal representation, stating that the girl, her sibling and another child relative in the household remain under the ministry’s custody.

The minister said that the government’s decision not to disclose unnecessary details of the case to the media does not mean no action is being taken.

Addressing the media, Minister Paulraj said that a complaint on the incident has been filed by Sri Lanka Police, which is a state entity, while the Attorney General’s advice has been sought on the proceedings of the case. 

“There are attempts by certain parties to take political advantage of the incident. We do not intend to respond to such acts. We have taken all necessary measures regarding the incident,” she said. 

The minister revealed that the recording of all evidence, statements from the victim, site examination, findings of clothing reported to have been buried, and forensic examination and report have all been completed.

She added that the investigation can proceed based on video evidence and other material, such as the forensic report, medical report, and initial statements. 

The Minister of Women and Child Affairs added that all necessary measures have been taken to ensure the protection and well-being of the victim. (Newswire)

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The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) says it has faced no interference in relation to the ongoing investigations into the widely discussed child abuse case involving a minor girl in Anuradhapura.

In a statement issued today, the NCPA said it has been monitoring the case since it was first reported to ensure the law is properly enforced and the child’s rights are protected throughout the investigation process.

The authority said it remains prepared to take appropriate measures whenever necessary to safeguard the child’s best interests and ensure justice is served.

The NCPA further stated that there has been no pressure or influence exerted on the institution regarding the case and assured that steps will continue to be taken to properly oversee the legal process.

It also urged the public not to create unnecessary fear or unrest, warning that undue public agitation could interfere with the administration of justice.

The authority added that the victim is currently being cared for at a special protection centre under secure conditions and that her safety has been ensured.

The NCPA stressed that protecting children from all forms of violence remains a shared responsibility of society.

The statement from NCPA comes after the Chief Incumbent of the Atamasthana, Pallegama Hemarathana Thero was arrested on charges of sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl. The Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday ordered that Hemarathana Thero be remanded until May 22.

The Magistrate visited a private hospital in Colombo, where the suspect monk is currently receiving treatment, before issuing the remand order.

The court also directed prison authorities to transfer the suspect to the National Hospital in Colombo based on medical recommendations.

Prison officials meanwhile submitted a medical report stating that the suspect was not in a condition to be transported over a long distance and required several specialised medical examinations.

Laywers appearing for the suspect monk, told court that his client strongly denies the allegations.

The case is scheduled to be taken up again on May 22. (Newswire)

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A man who had impersonated a shaman (Kapuwa) and impregnated a 14-year-old girl has been sentenced to 15 years of rigorous imprisonment by Panadura High Court Judge Saman Kumara.

The convicted individual is a 44-year-old man from the Himbutu Hena area in Horana.

In addition to the prison term, he was ordered to pay Rs. 500,000 in compensation to the victim, with the court warning that failure to settle will result in an additional 24 months of light labour imprisonment.

The accused had arrived in Himbutu Hena in 2021 posing as a godman and developed an affair with the mother of the then 14-year-old victim, eventually residing in the same household. During this period, he had impregnated the girl, leading to his arrest.

A preliminary hearing took place at the Horana Magistrate’s Court, after which the case was transferred to the High Court on the Attorney General’s advice. (Newswire)

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A 04-point proposal for the establishment of a multi-sectoral mechanism to enable swift action in instances where complaints on child abuse incidents are not filed with the National Child Protection Authority has received a Cabinet nod. 

The protection of children from abuse and all forms of violence, which was identified as a prime principle under the National Policy Framework, as “A Safe World for Children – A Creative Future Generation”, was approved at the Cabinet meeting held in March 2025. 

Pointing out that several parties are involved in various ways in the protection of children within the government mechanism, the government states the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Higher Education and Vocational Education, the Ministry of Justice and National Integration, and the Sri Lanka Police play a prime role in this respect.

The government further said that even though the National Child Protection Authority provides the facilities to lodge complaints 24 hours, it seems that there are so many occasions where such complaints are not received. 

As such, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs to take the following steps, enabling swift involvement in such occasions. 

• Appointment of a Standing National Committee under the chairmanship of the Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs and comprising representatives of other relevant institutions. 
• Introduction of amendments to the Penal Code and Criminal Code, enabling the elimination of physical penalties against children 
• In reporting all forms of violence and abuse that occur to children, the declaration of the media ethics system currently being drafted includes all appropriate provisions to prevent such victims from experiencing frequent occurrences of harassment.
• Obtaining swift intervention from the National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses, the Secretariat for Non-Governmental Organisations and the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Regulation Commission to regulate the activities performed by the media institutions and social media communicators in such a way that damages the identity of child victims. (Newswire)

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The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) states that 321 complaints were received in 2024 regarding incidents of severe sexual abuse of children.

According to the NCPA, 580 complaints regarding incidents of sexual assault were received between January 1 and December 31, 2024.

During this period, the NCPA received 8746 complaints related to children, while the highest number of complaints, 2746, were related to child protection issues.

The NCPA has also received 1,950 complaints concerning child abuse, 229 complaints regarding the use of children as beggars, 42 complaints concerning child sexual abuse, and 25 complaints related to the use of children for sexual acts.

Additionally, 14 complaints were received about child marriages, and 151 complaints were made regarding threats of releasing explicit photographs of children online.

In 2024, a total of 18 complaints were received concerning suicide attempts, and 120 complaints were reported related to drug abuse.

The NCPA further received 53 complaints about adolescent pregnancies and 39 complaints regarding children without birth certificates. (Newswire)

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A 14-year-old girl, abducted and hidden in an underground bunker, was rescued by Buttala Police, the Lankadeepa Newspaper reported.

The girl, a resident of Katugahagalge in Buttala, was found following a tip-off received by Police.

A 25-year-old man, his uncle who prepared the bunker, and two other youths who assisted in the abduction were arrested.

According to Police, the suspects had assaulted the girl’s parents before abducting her.

During a Police interrogation, the main suspect had revealed the location where the girl was hidden.

The motorcycle used in the abduction has also been taken into police custody.

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Five individuals arrested for the brutal assault of a young child have been remanded until June 19 by the Padaviya Magistrate Court.

Police stated that the assaulted child has been placed under the care of Probation and Child Care Services.

Police had arrested a man known as ‘Kukul Chaminda’ a resident of Welioya, after a video surfaced showing him brutally assaulting a toddler.

The video, widely circulated on social media, led to a manhunt for the suspect, who had fled the Welioya area, along with the child.

On Wednesday, Police arrested five individuals in connection with the incident: the main suspect, three women, and another individual who helped the suspect evade arrest.

All five were ordered to be remanded until June 19 when they were produced before the Padaviya Magistrate. (Newswire)

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Police have launched an investigation to apprehend a man who was caught on video brutally assaulting a toddler, Lankadeepa newspaper reported.

The video which was shared widely on social media, saw many users urging the Police to arrest the individual on charges of child abuse.

The video shows the man attacking and beating a small child several times while feeding him.

The suspect, identified as a resident of Welioya, Padaviya had already fled the area, when Police had visited the man’s residence. (Newswire)

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Nearly 10,000 complaints of child abuse have been received by the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) in 2023, it was reported.

Chairman of the NCPA Udayakumara Amarasinghe said that 9,434 complaints were received from January 01 to December 31 last year. 

He further revealed that 2,242 complaints were received on child abuse, 472 complaints on sexual harassment, 404 complaints on serious sexual abuse, 51 complaints on rape of girls, and 06 complaints on indecent posts involving the use of children.

Complaints were also received regarding the use of children for the transportation of narcotics, the use of children for labour, victims of domestic violence, disregard of responsibilities, abduction, causing injury to children, trafficking children, and failure to educate children, he said.

The NCPA Chairman added that the complaints of child abuse received in 2023 were higher than those received in 2022, which was 7,466. (NewsWire)

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A new hotline is to be introduced in January next year specifically for the safety of women and children in Sri Lanka. 

Minister of Public Security, Tiran Alles said a special three-digit number is to be introduced from January 01, 2024, for this purpose. 

“The Inspector General of Police has been instructed to launch the hotline which will connect to the Police. Through this, we will be able to tackle various forms of abuse faced by women and children in our country,” he said. 

The minister pointed out that only Policewomen are to be deployed to answer calls received via the hotline.

“Sometimes women are uncomfortable to explain their case to a male officer. To address this we have decided to deploy only female officers 24/7 to answer the calls coming through this new hotline,” he added. 

Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles made the announcement while addressing an event. (NewsWire)

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Nearly 98,000 cases of child abuse through cyberspace have been reported so far in 2023, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Police Children and Women’s Bureau, Renuka Jayasundara said.

DIG Jayasundara said that this was a reduction from the 146,000 child abuse cases reported in 2022. 

Addressing the media on Tuesday (Dec 19), she said that the cases are tracked through its system identified as ‘International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children’. 

DIG Jayasundara said the database can track and share information with relevant firms on the spread of explicit videos and content related to sexual abuse on various social media platforms. 

Apart from sharing such information with foreign countries, Sri Lanka too has received such tip-offs from other nations, helping tackle child abuse incidents, she added. (NewsWire)

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A total of 168 female children below the age of 16 years have been sexually abused within a period of one month, State Minister of Women and Child Affairs Geetha Kumarasinghe revealed.

Addressing the media on Wednesday (Oct 25), she said the sexual abuse had been reported between 01 – 30 September 2023. 

State Minister Geetha Kumarasinghe further said that 22 children among the victims are reported to be pregnant.

“Reporting sexual abuse of nearly 168 children within a month shows that our country is in an unfortunate situation. All Police Stations were requested to take stringent measures in cases of child abuse to ensure the safety of children. Principals of schools were also requested to take measures to protect children from child abuse,” she said. 

The State Minister pointed out that in most of these incidents, the children have been found to be sexually abused by a close relative or someone in their own house.

State Minister Geetha Kumarasinghe emphasized the need to implement stringent laws to protect children from child abuse. (NewsWire)

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Over 5,000 complaints related to child abuse have been filed within the first 07 months of this year in Sri Lanka, the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) reported.

According to the Chairman of the NCPA, Senior Lecturer Udayakumara Amarasinghe, a total of 5,456 complaints have been received during the period from January 01 – July 31. 

A total of 1,296 complaints have been filed related to child cruelty, 163 complaints related to causing severe injuries, and 242 complaints related to serious sexual abuse.

The NCPA has received 110 complaints pertaining to Social media and cyberspace bullying. Out of the complaints, 76 are related to female children and 31 are connected to male children.

The NCPA further said that 196 complaints have been filed related to forcing children to beg, with the highest number of complaints being received from the Colombo District and Urban suburbs.

Senior Lecturer Udayakumara Amarasinghe added that relevant Police stations have already been informed to conduct investigations into the complaints. (NewsWire)

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Six people, including two women, have been apprehended for allegedly having assaulted to death an individual inside a building near G.P.S Grounds in Kalviyankadu, Jaffna.

According to Lankadeepa, Police investigations have revealed that the victim had been abducted and assaulted by the group on suspicion of having allegedly sexually molested a 09-year-old girl. 

Investigations have further revealed that the group has been identified as relatives of the child. The deceased has been identified as a 52-year-old resident of Kapay, Jaffna. 

The body of the deceased had been found near G.P.S Grounds in Jaffna by the Kopay Police based on a tip-off. 

The suspects were arrested on suspicion following joint investigations conducted by the Kopay Police and the Jaffna Division Crimes Investigation Unit. (NewsWire)

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe has ordered strict legislation to prevent child abuse in Sri Lanka, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.

According to the PMD, the President emphasized the urgency of combating child abuse perpetrated by teachers, elders, and various segments of society.

The President highlighted the importance of such measures pointing out the recent incidents of abuse, including the death of a 16-year-old girl and the abuse of 16 children by a tuition teacher, both reported from the Kalutara area. 

President Wickremesinghe also called for amendments to be made to existing legislation, underscoring the importance of careful consideration during the process. (NewsWire)

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