Kurunegala is shocked by the murder of Diana, a street woman.

The life story of 'Diana', who roamed the streets of Kurunegala town for nearly four decades and was known by name throughout the country, ends amidst the mud and ripples of the Denagamuwa canal.

She, who claimed the world's oldest profession, was brutally murdered last afternoon and her body was found by the Doratiyawa Police in the Denagamuwa canal, which flows through the Samanpura area. A forty-five-year-old fruit vendor residing in Dambulla was arrested in connection with the incident, based on crucial information provided by a trishaw driver.

The suspect, who had come to Kurunegala to bail out a friend arrested in connection with an illegal cannabis trafficking operation, agreed to avail Diana's services after completing his task. Although a sum of two thousand five hundred rupees was agreed upon, she only took one thousand rupees from him, stating that she was now old. The suspect claims that he did not see her after leaving the Samanpura lodge and that he went down to the canal to relieve himself due to an abdominal discomfort.

However, a trishaw driver's revelation that he saw the suspect and Anula Rajapaksa (Diana) engaged in a struggle in the overflowing Denagamuwa canal amidst heavy rain completely changed the direction of this mystery. This is why the police strongly suspect that a money dispute or another conflict escalated, leading to her being drowned and killed.

Diana was not just a woman who roamed the streets. That beautiful young woman, who entered this profession in the eighties, styled with Princess Diana's captivating "Diana Cut" hairstyle, later became an indispensable character in Kurunegala town, yet one who bothered no one. Her real name or hometown is largely unknown to anyone. Although some say she was a resident of Kelimune, that too is not confirmed.

However, hidden within her was a sensitive, loving mother. Townspeople testify that she, who did not solely chase after money, was principled enough to scold idle school children loitering in town and send them home, and never to sell her body to young children or teenagers. Even though she was sometimes ridiculed on social media, there might have been an untold tragedy behind her.

A post recently circulated on social media stating that when she, after receiving a packet of rice from a roadside 'dansala' (alms-giving stall), was asked if she needed another, she replied, "If I eat two, someone else might go hungry, right son?" This is a wonderful mirror reflecting the depth of humanity in her heart, even though she lived in the lowest stratum of society.

Perhaps due to some unfortunate fate or helplessness in her youth, she entered this harsh path and struggled through life alone amidst various societal scorn until the twilight of her life. However, the inhumane end of this helpless woman's last breath, under a dark stream, leaves a silent, tear-filled question mark for the entire society.