News

29-year-old behind death of Kalutara schoolgirl!

Published

12 months ago

May 8, 2023

editor

A 29-year-old man, who allegedly went to a hotel room in Kalutara, stripped a 16-year-old girl befriended through TikTok and pushed her down from the third floor, police said.

The Kalutara South Police said the suspect, who seizes vehicles with defaulted insurance payments, is a married man.

The victim was identified as a 11th grade student of a girls’ college in Kalutara. She was a resident near the Nagoda Hospital in Kalutara.

Police said the student had gotten to know the suspect through TikTok two days before and he had invited her to come to a hotel.

The girl and the suspect had arrived at the hotel located on Kalutara – Galle Road on May 6th at around 6 pm.

Since she was a minor, she had used the national identity card of a 20-year-old girl living next to her house to go to the hotel room.

A hotel employee told the police that another 19-year-old girl with her 22-year-old boyfriend had booked the adjacent air-conditioned room and all four of them consumed a bottle of Johnnie Walker red label type whiskey in one room.

After having drinks, the second couple had gone back to the adjoining room and had stayed there for a while before leaving.

Afterwards, the suspect had left the hotel in a hurry.

A person who came to the hotel to have food had informed the hotel staff that a naked body of a woman was lying on the railway track and then the staff had informed the 119 emergency hotline.

Officers of the Kalutara South Police had arrived at the location with a Suwa Seriya ambulance to find that the girl had passed away.

According to the investigations conducted by the Kalutara South Police under the instructions of OIC Chief Inspector Ruwan Wijesinghe, the 19-year-old girl and her 22-year-old boyfriend and the wife of the 29-year-old man who had a relationship with the victim were taken into police custody.

The wife of the suspect has said that she was not aware that her husband had such a relationship.

She told the police that her husband asked for Rs.2,000 and left the house the day before yesterday.

However, a senior police officer said that the young couple had moved the victim’s body away from the railway track and then surrendered to the police an hour later.

Police said that they have received information that the suspect who allegedly committed the murder had fled in a white coloured car and investigations are being conducted to arrest him.

It has also been revealed that the deceased girl is the daughter of a sister of a local politician in Kalutara.

Source – Aruna

News

China Pledges Full Support for Sri Lanka’s Debt Restructuring

Published

3 hours ago

May 4, 2024

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State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe has met with the Chinese Vice Minister of Finance Liao Min.

This meeting was held on the sidelines of the ADB annual meeting in Georgia.

Minister Semasinghe said on X ”at this discussion China assured its fullest support and cooperation to conclude the debt restructuring process in Sri Lanka.”

Furthermore, he said that China reaffirmed steadfast support to Sri Lanka on all fronts.(news first.lk)

News

Sri Lanka slips down Press Freedom Index

Published

22 hours ago

May 3, 2024

editor

Reporters Without Borders released the 2024 World Press Freedom Index on Friday (03).

According to RFS, Sri Lanka has slipped to the 150th position in the index, from 135th position last year.

Click here to read the RSF Sri Lanka Fact File

News

Companies should be ashamed of not giving workers a raise – Vadivel Suresh

Published

22 hours ago

May 3, 2024

editor

Mr. Vadivel Suresh, General Secretary of the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers’ Union, emphasized that both the Government and the Plantation Employers’ Association bear the responsibility of providing wage increases to plantation workers. These workers, who play a pivotal role in sustaining the esteemed reputation of ‘Ceylon Tea’, contribute significantly to the national economy of Sri Lanka.

MP Vadivel Suresh, made this statement during his participation in today’s (03) news conference at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC), under the theme ‘Collective path to a Stable Country’.

The Member of Parliament noted that plantation companies, benefiting significantly from the fluctuating dollar value, ought to feel ashamed for not providing their workers with a salary raise. He emphasized that the salary increase outlined in the gazette notice issued by the Labour Commissioner General for plantation workers should be implemented.

MP Vadivel Suresh further commented:

“We express gratitude to the President and the government for raising the salary of plantation workers to LKR. 1700. However, the Plantation Employers’ Association is contesting this decision.

The estate companies that profited greatly from the dollar’s value should be ashamed of themselves for not giving their workers a raise. Expressing opposition to the decision to increase wages for their workers, who contribute significantly to strengthening the national economy by upholding the reputation of Ceylon Tea, is regrettable. The decision to raise estate workers’ wages was not made hastily; rather, it followed extensive negotiations over the course of a year involving the Department of Labour, trade unions, and relevant stakeholders.

Employers’ unions persistently refrained from engaging in wage-fixing negotiations. Similarly, they remained silent when a salary increase of LKR 1000 was requested. However, the Labour Commissioner General, utilizing his authority, lawfully issued a gazette notice for a salary hike of LKR 1700. It is unjust for estate companies to procrastinate without providing relief to the workforce amidst fluctuations in the dollar’s value.

Both the government and the plantation Employers’ Association bear responsibility in this matter. Consequently, companies cannot contravene government decisions. Estate companies claim they are in dialogue with the high-level committee for the ultimate verdict. However, all 22 estate companies are owned by five individuals. These owners are involved not only in tea plantations but also in sectors such as tourism, small-scale manufacturing, agriculture, and gems. Additionally, plantation workers and trade unions must unite in support of this wage increase.

(President’s Media Division)

Gazette issued to up estate workers’ daily wage

Unable to increase daily wage – Plantation owners