Sri Lanka Police have uncovered several details regarding the discovery of a woman’s body inside a parked car in the Teldeniya area.
Police have identified the deceased as 34-year-old physiotherapist Shamya Darshani, who was employed at the Ampara District General Hospital.
According to police, the woman’s boyfriend, a software engineer residing at Gannoruwa in Kandy, had allegedly transported her body in the vehicle, abandoned it near the Teldeniya Hospital, and fled the area.
Police have sought public assistance in locating and arresting the suspect.
Investigations commenced after the victim’s brother, a resident of Kota Wewa in Thalawa, lodged a complaint with Nuwara Eliya Police on June 17, stating that his sister had been staying in an apartment complex in Nuwara Eliya and had informed him that she had not eaten for several days.
Following his request to inspect the location, a team of officers from the Nuwara Eliya Police visited the relevant apartment complex and conducted an inspection but found no one inside.
However, CCTV footage showed the suspect arriving at the apartment at around 9.50 p.m. on Tuesday (16) and remaining there for about 40 minutes.
Police said the footage later showed him carrying the unconscious woman at around 10.30 p.m. and driving away.
While Nuwara Eliya Police had alerted other police stations regarding the missing woman, the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of Teldeniya Police received an anonymous phone call reporting that a woman’s body was inside a car parked near the Teldeniya Hospital.
Police officers attached to Teldeniya Police, who inspected the vehicle, found the body lying on the front passenger seat and covered with a black cloth. After forcing open the locked vehicle, police recovered the body.
Subsequent investigations confirmed that the deceased was the same woman reported missing from Nuwara Eliya.
Police have revealed that Shamya Darshani, aged 34, was employed as a physiotherapist at the Ampara District General Hospital.
Accordingly, police investigations have further revealed that the victim’s boyfriend had transported the body in the vehicle, abandoned it at the location, and had also called the OIC of Teldeniya Police.
Investigators have also revealed that the victim and the suspect had been in a relationship for around eight months and that the woman had reportedly borrowed approximately Rs. 15 million from a bank and several individuals and given the money to her boyfriend with the intention of migrating to Canada together.
Police said she had been under severe mental pressure after creditors demanded repayment and the planned migration overseas did not materialise.
Under this situation, the victim had arrived at the housing complex in Nuwara Eliya on June 3.
Meanwhile, she had reportedly called her brother and informed him that she had not eaten for three days. She had also contacted a psychiatrist at the Ampara District General Hospital, stating that she was under severe mental distress.
The doctor had advised her to seek immediate psychiatric treatment at the nearest hospital.
However, her mobile phone had been switched off after around 4.00 p.m. on June 16, following which her brother lodged a complaint with Nuwara Eliya Police.
Further investigations have revealed that the car used to transport the victim’s body belongs to another woman residing in the Ampara area, who is also alleged to have been in a relationship with the suspect.
Meanwhile, following the post-mortem examination, an open verdict has been returned.
Authorities said it has not yet been determined whether the death resulted from homicide or another cause.
Police are continuing efforts to locate and arrest the suspect, while further investigations are being conducted under the direct supervision of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in charge of the Nuwara Eliya Division.
