Police today successfully apprehended Mohammed Nassar, a 31-year-old resident of Kahatapitiya in Gampola, who abducted an 18-year-old schoolgirl at Daulagala, Kandy, on January 11.

The duo was located near the Ampara Bus Stand on a luxury bus scheduled to depart for Kandy this morning (13).

Police had traced the suspect’s location through analysis of his mobile phone data, which revealed his presence in the Ampara Police Division. Acting on this information, five police teams were deployed, leading to the suspect and the schoolgirl being taken into custody at around 9.30 a.m. on January 13.

The investigations have revealed that the suspect and the girl had traveled from Polonnaruwa to Valaichchenai and then to Ampara in a three-wheeler, where they spent the night at a private accommodation. 

Police are arranging a medical examination for the adbucted schoolgirl.

According to initial statements, the suspect claimed that the abduction stemmed from a family dispute. 

He has alleged that he had previously worked overseas in Japan for two years and provided money to the girl’s father—his maternal uncle—but was not repaid. This disagreement, coupled with issues over their proposed marriage, reportedly led to the incident.

Accordingly, the youth had also demanded a ransom of Rs. 5 million from the girl’s father after the abduction. 

Both the suspect and the victim are currently in police custody, and further investigations are underway.