The police yesterday arrested the main suspect related to the murder of five persons who were hacked to death in a house near the Delft jetty in Jaffna. The police said that there are two men and three women among the dead, and they are relatives. The husband and wife of the house are among the killed.
Another woman has sustained serious cut wounds in the incident and is receiving treatment at the Jaffna Hospital.
Jaffna SSP Jagath Wishantha stated that these murders were committed by a 51-year-old man who had been staying in the house where these murders took place for almost three months.
Investigations have revealed that this suspect was a person who had been staying in Germany for sometime and was deported to Sri Lanka in 2018 due to an attempt to kill his wife there.
Investigations have revealed that this person is a resident of Jaffna and came to Jaffna on a passenger boat in the morning after the murder of five (22).
The police say that these murders were done for the purpose of robbery and that two necklaces, rings and bracelets weighing about 10 sovereigns were found hidden in the suitcase of the suspect.
According to information disclosed by the suspect after lengthy interrogations, Police said that the knife used for the murders was also found lying in a ditch on Delft Island.
The arrested suspect is a person who does not have a stable source of income. Investigations have revealed that the owner of the house where these murders took place had reserved the front room of her house for guests.
Investigations have revealed that she provided free meals and accommodation for the guests who visit the Island as tourists. Police say that the murder suspect is also a person who once came to Delft Island and stayed in this house.
Police say that after befriending the family members the suspect used to frequent the house where he enjoyed longer stays without having to pay for his accommodation or meals.
It has been revealed from investigations that the couple residing in Mullaitivu, who are among those who were killed by this suspect, came to this house on April 21. They were scheduled to leave for Mullaitivu the day before the murders.
The suspect is under interrogation and will be produced in court.