A 17-year-old female student was yesterday found dead at her house in Saliya Ashokapura in the Giribawa area.
The deceased was an Advanced Level student studying at Giribawa Maha Vidyalaya.
According to Police, they suspect that a youth in the neighbourhood had entered the girl’s house while she was watching television, dragged her into a room, raped and murdered her.
“The dead girl’s mother was visiting a nearby house when the incident is said to have taken place,”Police further said.
When the mother returned home, she saw her daughter lying unconscious on a bed and had contacted the Police with the help of the neighbours.
The villagers apprehended a 23-year-old youth who was trying to flee the area following the incident.
Giribawa Police said the girl’s hands were bound and she had sustained slight injuries on her body. Galgamuwa Magistrate conducted the preliminary examination of the body at the scene of the murder.
The body was sent to Anuradhapura Hospital for further examination.