Retired lady Principal found murdered inside Nugegoda house

Retired lady Principal found murdered inside Nugegoda house

A mysterious incident of an 80 year old retired lady principal who had been living alone in the company of some persons who had sought lodging at her home was found throttled and murdered in 5th lane, Samagi Mawatha in Embuldeniya.

A female of a nearby house as was the custom had been bringing breakfast daily to the victim, the retired principal who by name was Seetha Alwis Caroline, a mother of 3 children. However, when she had as usual come day-before-yesterday (03)

around 7.30 in the morning, she had noticed that windows and doors of the house were left open and that the electric bulbs being kept lit. When she began to inquire about it, what met her eyes was that the principal was lying on the floor in the hall. On that occasion a son of the principal was notified and on his arrival it was observed that she was already dead. The body was dispatched to Sri Jayawarenepura Hospital and after examining her the doctors have remarked that she was no more among the living.

The motor car belonging to the deceased's house which was parked in front of her house had been removed by the killers and it was found left near Thalapathpitiya cemetery. A daughter and son of the principal were doctors and one other son was an engineer.

2 rooms in the house where she was living in Embuldeniya were given on rent to 2 families. Apart from that, several small houses have been built up and rented out to about 12 families in this plot of land extending to almost 2 acres. On interrogating persons living on rent at the retired principal's home, they had said that on the night of this particular incident they had heard a car being started and then leaving; but that they had heard no other sound apart from that.

Police are conducting investigations to determine whether she was strangled and killed at the time somebody had come to rob the car. Whatever it is, the said car which could be valued round about 45 lakhs has been found left abandoned by the roadside. It was learned that both the sons and the daughter were paying visits to her home on and off to see how their mother was getting on and that she had been spending her retired life all alone in the home.

Investigations were conducted at the scene of murder with Nugegoda police dog 'Sara' brought there. Mrs. Ramani Kularatna, Acting Magistrate of Nugegoda Courts conducted the primary magisterial inquiry. Mirihana Police are attending to further investigations in connection with the incident under instructions of Superintendent of Police in charge of Nugegoda Division, Mr. Prasad Ranasingha.