Lingerie turns lethal:

The bra that claimed a life

By Kurulu Kariyakarawana

For a third world country there is no scarcity of crime in Sri Lanka. Assault, theft, rape and robbery as well as murder is not uncommon or in other words the people are used to hearing such stories everyday.

For the first time in the country's history a strange type of lethal weapon was used to kill a person reported from Panadura recently. Feminine undergarments or lingerie are considered to be the most delicate type of clothing with which one would never ever imagined to kill another. But in this bizarre turn of events reported last week a man was strangled to death by his paramour with her own brassiere adding lingerie into the history of lethal weapons.

This came into light following the recovery of body of man identified as Indrajith Devanarayana, a 40-year-old trader, inside his car in Sri Maha Vihara Road in Panadura on the morning of July 1. A mobile patrol unit of Panadura Police was engaged in their routine duties when they noticed a car being parked on the side of the road with front lamps on.

Out of suspicion at that time of hour, a policeman decided to look into the car to find a man apparently dead to the world in the driver's seat, leaning towards the adjoining seat. When there was no response to the policeman's callings the latter opened the already unlocked doors to find that the driver would not wake up again. The car stereo was still playing whereas the blood was dripping out of the victim's nostrils. A bruise on the forehead and a patch of dirt on the back of his shirt was evident. The police immediately judged that the person had been murdered, and informed the station for reinforcements.

Acting OIC Panadura Police Inspector Terrance de Silva and OIC Crime Branch W Indrajith visited the scene and commenced investigations. They found a laptop computer in the luggage compartment along with a vessel believed to have contained some snacks used to eat as a bite when having an alcoholic beverage. A receipt for half a bottle of liquor purchased from a wine store in Panadura was also among the evidence gathered from the car.

It was not too difficult for the detectives to identify the victim when they found a photocopy of his National Identity Card stating the name and address. A resident of Gangodawila Wijerama , Indrajith's mother and brother identified him who was killed Sunday night.

Considering the initial evidence Judicial Medical Officer Panadura Prasanna Bandara Dassanayake announced that death was due to strangling. But no evidence leading to the person responsible for the crime had been ascertained by the police yet.

Statements recorded from the victim's family revealed that Indrajith was living abroad for over a decade in European countries such as Italy, France and Cypress. He had eventually returned to the country four years ago and was engaged in various types of businesses. He was a married man and his wife was also living abroad who is expected to return soon.

When the inquiries were continuing a strange incident happened on Wednesday July 3. A middle-aged woman who claimed to be the secret partner of the deceased surrendered to Panadura Magistrate's Court saying that she was the one who is responsible for strangling Indrajith Devanarayana to death.

The suspect who surrendered to the courts through her attorney was clad in a simple skirt and blouse. Giving initial evidence before Panadura Magistrate Ruchira Weliwatta, suspect Sanjeewani Devika (39) said that she strangled her unlawful partner with her brassiere as a result of a sudden fight between them. The Magistrate ordered the suspect to be remanded and gave permission for the police to record statements while she is in the remand custody. She was also ordered to be produced before JMO and obtain a medical report.

The strange story unfolded following the statement made by the suspect at the courts. According to Sanjeewani, a clandestine affair had existed with the victim for about a year. She was previously married but had filed for divorce against her ex-husband and was living separately at a house in Alubomulla, Panadura.

She had accidentally met Indrajith when she was accidentally hit by his car where the latter had later revealed that she was unharmed purposely to start an encounter with her. The relationship bloomed into a full-grown affair when Indrajith moved to live with her on and off. Since the two adults were in a solitary stage in life the relationship had been a relief for both of them.

However their affair was not a bed of roses and there were occasional fights and arguments between the couple. Indrajith according to Sanjeewani, had returned to the home country after many ages and had brought a fortune with him which he was lavishly spending. He had lent money to various people as loans and was living on its interest.

He had another problem as well. An acute alcoholic he drank like a fish any time of the day. Sanjeewani was greatly annoyed by this and always complained, which led to quarrels between the two.

According to the victim's family members, Indrajith had left his own house in Wijerama on June 30 evening saying that he would be back for dinner. In the meantime he had called his secret girlfriend and arranged to meet in Panadura.

The suspect told the courts that they met in Panadura but had been having many arguments throughout. The victim who was drunk had suddenly changed his tone and tried to be tenderly towards her.

He had then unbuttoned her blouse and tried to relieve her of her bra. Within moments the victim who got hold of her brassiere had tried to strangle her with it.

A fierce struggle between the duo erupted inside the car where the woman had succeeded to overpower her partner and strangle him to death with the same brassiere, she revealed to the courts. Sanjeewani who had managed to get out of the car had hired a trishaw and come to Panadura Kurusa Handiya where she had got into another three-wheeler and reached home in Alubomulla.

Sanjeewani further told the courts that she had revisited the crime scene the following morning in a trishaw to find that the police had arrived and the site has been cordoned off. She had beat a hasty retreat.

When she surrendered to the courts she said that it was the same suit she had been wearing at the time of the incident.

Senior Superintendent of Police Panadura Division Kapila Kadupitiya said that police were yet to establish any concrete evidence into the case as the evidence gathered so far was based only on the suspect's account.

Although the suspect had given a statement to the courts she is yet to confess if there was any involvement to the incident. Since there are no eyewitnesses in this case the detectives have to rely on forensic and scientific evidence to arrive at a conclusion.

A special team deployed by the Panadura Police are conducting further investigations. If the case is proven that the victim was strangled to death by a feminine lingerie it would surely enter the history of crime as one of a kind.