Schoolgirl Abducted in Kandy Rescued; Suspect Arrested

Police have successfully rescued a schoolgirl who was abducted in Daulagala, Kandy, on 11 January. She was found along with the suspect on a luxury bus near the Ampara Bus Stand on 13 January, just as it was about to depart for Kandy.

The suspect, who has since been arrested, is a close relative of the girl—her father’s nephew. Investigations revealed that the abduction followed a disagreement over a proposed marriage between the two. The families initially approved the union, but the girl’s father later withdrew his consent, leading to escalating tensions.

The girl, a resident of Handessa, was abducted while walking to school with a friend. The van used in the abduction was found abandoned in Polonnaruwa on the same day, and the driver, a 30-year-old from Gampola, was apprehended on 12 January.