Thelijjawila student’s ordeal receives top attention

Pandemonium broke out at Telijjawila Royal College, when an eight-year-old was found bleeding in an abandoned classroom. She had been allegedly raped by an ex-serviceman who was found to be the worse for liquor. Police said the girl was unaware of what had befallen her. She was far too dazed to even respond to questions posed by police.

Numerous incidents relating to women being raped have been reported during the recent past from several parts of the island. It is alarming to note that crimes against women, especially rape is on the increase judging from various complaints lodged at police stations. Some argue that such crimes are attributed to decadence of society where moral values stand at a low ebb. Perhaps it may be true. But most may agree that such crimes are committed by violent persons who suffer from sexual disorders and criminals who have absolute disregard for law and order of the land. Perpetrators of such crimes have a notion that they can simply get away having committed such acts.

It was only ten days ago when the media highlighted a despicable crime where a 10-year-old girl was allegedly raped by an ex-serviceman who was under the influence of liquor.

The incident happened at Telijjawila Royal College in the Akuressa area last Saturday. A 10-year-old girl who went to school accompanied by her mother and sister to clean up the classroom prior to the commencement of the school term on September 5.

She became the victim of a sex predator who spotted her playing around with another school mate in the back compound of her school.

In fact, the mother and her other daughters had volunteered to clean-up a classroom on the instructions of a school teacher. Then there were some officials from the Education Department, policemen, the watcher and some outsiders in the school premises who were partaking liquor after the conclusion of the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination.

The men had officiated at the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination. It was at this stage that an ex-serviceman, walked into the school premises to join the others who were consuming liquor. The ex-serviceman was a brother of a policeman, sources said.

The party commenced no sooner the students who sat for the G.C.E. Advance Level examination left the premises.

There were nine officials altogether who took part in the tamasha. While all this was happening the mother was engaged in cleaning-up the class room, while her daughter played with another school mate in the backyard of the school premises. While the party was in progress the ex-soldier had arrived at the school premises being the worse for liquor.

On seeing the 10-year-old girl playing he had forcibly taken her into an abandoned classroom and allegedly raped her. However, it is not clear whether the officials enjoying drinks were aware of what was happening in the school premises.

Following the rape the girl had bled profusely and was in excruciating pain when people in the neighbourhood came to know of the crime. People rushed the girl to the Matara hospital where she was warded for further treatment. The victim was a grade five student of the school.

Following the incident people who lived in the neighbourhood of the school became agitated and surrounded the school where officials were consuming liquor.

As the situation went from bad to worse a police team from Akuressa arrived at the school premises and arrested the main suspect, the ex-serviceman, the chief invigilator, the watcher, a police sergeant from the Akuressa police station and a police constable.

The suspects were produced before the Matara Magistrate and was remanded until investigations are completed. Four more suspects who were arrested and were granted bail as they had not been under the influence of liquor.

A senior police officer told the Sunday Observer the responsibility of maintaining discipline at the examination hall was vested with the senior invigilator and other officials on duty at the school premises. “Had they exercised vigilance this unfortunate incident would not have occurred”, he said. Meanwhile, a lapse on the part of the officials on duty at the examination hall will emerge at the inquiry.

Meanwhile, it was reported that two teams have been appointed by the Southern Provincial Education Ministry and the Examination Commissioners Department to investigate the rape of a student at Telijjawila Royal College.

The two teams are expected to meet the victim’s parents, the four suspects who were released on bail by the Matara Magistrate and residents of the area to record their statements. The watcher and five other persons attached to the education sector have already been interdicted the report states.

During the past few months several young women have become victims of rape according to complaints lodged at police stations. The Wariyapola police have arrested a man who was involved in an alleged rape of a 23-year-old mentally deranged woman. The incident took place in the village at Werahena-Yagama.

The suspect was produced before the Wariyapola Magistrate. In another incident a 31-year-old suspect from Polonnaruwa was taken into custody for raping an unmarried woman, who was a resident of Onegama in the Polonnaruwa area. The Polonnaruwa police have investigated the incident.

A 27-year-old man was taken into custody for sexually molesting two under-aged girls aged eleven and twelve. The offence took place in the Kalawana area. The suspect was produced before the Ratnapura Magistrate.