The post-mortem examination has revealed that the man whose body was found in a canal in the Galagahena area of Homagama early last morning (16) had been brutally murdered by having his throat slit.

The victim has been identified as a 41-year-old resident of Pitipana, Homagama. Police stated that he was employed full-time at a garment factory while also working part-time as a ride-hailing app-based motorcycle taxi driver.

According to police, he had left his home at around 7.00 p.m. on July 15 to transport a passenger on his motorcycle.

Investigators suspect that the murder took place on a plot of auctioned land near the canal where the victim’s body was discovered.

Police said the assailants are believed to have fled after stealing the victim’s motorcycle, gold necklace, mobile phone, and wallet.

A pair of shoes and a Rs. 20 currency note believed to belong to the deceased were recovered from the location where the crime is suspected to have taken place, said police.

The post-mortem examination, conducted at the Homagama Base Hospital following the Magistrate’s inquest, confirmed that the cause of death was severe injuries caused by the slitting of the throat.

The suspects have not yet been identified, and Homagama Police are conducting further investigations to identify and arrest those responsible.