The Nuwara Eliya Magistrate’s Court has granted permission to detain and interrogate the suspects arrested in connection with the murder of a physiotherapist attached to the Ampara Hospital for 48 hours.

Accordingly, the 43-year-old main suspect, his 35-year-old wife and a driver of the Kundasale Pradeshiya Sabha, who is alleged to have aided and abetted the crime, are to be detained and further questioned.

The main suspect, his wife and a child were taken into custody by officers of the Walana Central Anti Vice Striking Force in the Kaithady area of Jaffna while they were travelling in a bus from Wellawatte to Jaffna.

The suspects were subsequently handed over to the Nuwara Eliya Police Station yesterday (24).

Separately, Nuwara Eliya Police officers arrested a driver of the Kunadasale Pradeshiya Sabha, who is alleged to have aided and abetted the incident.

Nuwara Eliya Police have also launched a search operation to arrest a security officer believed to have aided the crime.

Earlier, a post-mortem examination confirmed that the death of the physiotherapist, whose body was found inside a car parked near the Teldeniya Hospital on June 17, was caused by strangulation.

Investigations revealed that the victim, a 33-year-old resident of Weligama, had been staying at a hotel in Nuwara Eliya from June 3 to June 16.

CCTV footage reportedly showing the main suspect carrying the victim’s body out of the hotel room had been released to the media, prompting further police inquiries.

Following a seven-day manhunt conducted under the instructions of Inspector General of Police (IGP), with technical support from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the main suspect was eventually apprehended.