Five arrested over Vavuniya attack that killed young couple

Five suspects have been arrested in connection with the attack on a house in Thonikkal, Vavuniya that left a young couple dead. 

A group of unidentified assailants attacked the house on the night of July 23. At the time, a birthday party was being hosted inside the house. The attackers had allegedly hacked one person inside the permises with sharp weapons before setting fire to the house. Ten persons who suffered burn injuries in the attack were hospitalised and a husband and wife who were among them later succumbed to their injuries. 

A joint investigation was subsequently launched into the incident by the Vavuniya Police and the Vavuniya Division Crime Investigation Unit. Based on these inquiries, officers carried out a joint raid yesterday in several areas of Vavuniya and arrested five suspects who allegedly aided and abetted the crime and who were also involved in the conspiracy to carry out the crime. Three motorbikes allegedly used to carry out the attack were also taken into police custody, said the Police Media Unit. 

The arrested suspects are 24, 27, 31 and 33 years of age. All are residents of Vavuniya. 

On the orders of the Inspector General of Police, this investigation has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the suspects have also been handed over to the CID for further investigations, police added.