21 students remanded over alleged gang rape

Twenty-one students from a school in Thanamalwila have been remanded to the Suraksha Juvenile Detention Centre in Bandarawela, following their appearance before Wellawaya Magistrate Chathura Dissanayake on August 12, police said.
The students are accused in a case involving the alleged gang rape of a 16-year-old student from the same school. The incidents reportedly occurred over the past year and involve a group of male students aged 15 to 19. Among those arrested, 17 are from the victim’s school, with the remaining suspects from nearby schools.
The Thanamalwila Police launched the investigation after receiving information from Uva Province DIG Dinesh Karunanayake on August 7. The suspects, along with a woman accused of aiding in the crime, face multiple charges including sexual abuse, serious sexual abuse, rape, and gang rape.
The victim is currently receiving medical evaluation at the District General Hospital in Hambantota.
Concerns have also emerged regarding the response of school officials. The Thanamalwila Police allege that the school principal and several teachers were aware of the situation but failed to act promptly, purportedly to protect the school’s reputation. The parents of one of the involved students were reportedly informed of the situation.
In a separate development, the victim’s mother filed a complaint at the Hambantota Police Headquarters on August 11. She alleges that the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) at Hambantota General Hospital dismissed her complaints, threatened the victim, and attempted to assault her, causing significant mental trauma to the survivor. The matter has been reported to the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA), which has launched an investigation into the allegations.